SVG’s Medicinal Marijuana Lab receives inquiries from local and regional entities

The laboratory that facilitates this country’s Medicinal Marijuana Industry is said to have begun to receive inquiries from local and regional entities for the testing of medicinal cannabis as well as other agricultural and industrial commodities.

Staff of Caribbean Cannabis Company Ltd./Medicinal with 12 crates containing Medicinal Cannabis for Shipment to Germany.

This information was recently made public by Technical Specialist at the Medicinal Cannabis Authority (MCA), Dr Jean-Saville Cummings, in the wake of the first shipment of medicinal marijuana which was exported to Germany last month.

This first-of-its-kind facility in the Caribbean is being operated by Caribbean Gold Standard Labs as part of a public-private partnership.

The export of 110 pounds of dried cannabis flower left St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) from the Argyle International Airport (AIA) on January 18, thus making SVG the first country in the Eastern Caribbean to export medicinal cannabis, a release from the MCA states.

Present at the AIA to observe the departure of the shipment were the Minister of Agriculture et al., Saboto Caesar, Staff of the Medicinal Cannabis Authority (MCA), and officials of the exporting company, Caribbean Cannabis Company Ltd, trading as Medicinal.

Lauding the activity as historic, Minister Caesar said that “today is a proud day for all of St Vincent and the Grenadines”. He said that our unique volcanic soil, hardworking traditional cultivators, significant investment in science, technology as well as training, and comprehensive legislative framework have created an environment that is ideal for a Modern Medicinal Wellness Industry to blossom. The Minister of Agriculture took the opportunity to encourage member states of the Caribbean to collaborate in order to maximize the benefits of this lucrative industry.

CEO of the MCA, Dr Jerrol Thompson, said that the export followed approval by the Cabinet of St Vincent and the Grenadines for the issuance of an Export Certificate to Caribbean Cannabis Company Ltd on January 5, 2022. The granting of the Export Certificate followed the issuance of a corresponding Import Certificate by the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, both of which are necessary for a medicinal cannabis product to enter Germany, Dr Thompson said. The MCA’s CEO commended Caribbean Cannabis Company Ltd on its momentous achievement, noting that the company has worked assiduously to create a quality production infrastructure that successfully passed an audit of EU-GACP (Good Agricultural and Collection Practice). The company has also launched several products locally that have allowed physicians to treat dozens of patients suffering with qualifying medical conditions, and is building out supply chains with traditional cultivators, Dr. Thompson reported.

Highlighting the importance of quality and safety, Technology Dr. Jean-Saville Cummings, said that an assessment of the biochemical profile of the cannabis material, captured in the form of a Certificate of Analysis, also formed a critical part of the requirements to export. He added that the recent operationalization of the Analytical Service Provider Facility in Rivulet was crucial in this regard.

Expressing gratitude for the support provided by key stakeholders, Chief Operating Officer at the MCA, Terral Mapp, listed the Argyle International Airport, the Customs and Excise Department, Invest SVG, the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, the Ministries of Agriculture and Finance, among other agencies, as being integral in the export process. This first successful shipment is anticipated to be followed by others as the Caribbean Cannabis Company Ltd. and other licensed producers expand their operations in 2022 and beyond, Mapp added.