Medical cannabis licences made more affordable

Added on 26 January 2024

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Medical cannabis licences made more affordable

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA - Locals hoping to get into the business of medical marijuana can now do so at more affordable rates under a new licensing programme offering them a significant discount.

Regis Burton, CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Medicinal Cannabis Authority (MCA), announced the new Collaborative Grow Licence during a briefing with media personnel on Wednesday.

This new licence is available to companies owned by five or more Antiguan and Barbudan citizens interested in operating in the medical cannabis industry.

Companies that are approved will be given an 80 percent discount on the licence, which will be valid for a period of five years, unlike the standard two years usually granted.

The licence is progressive, meaning those applying must first acquire a medical marijuana cultivation licence before registering for any of the other nine licences the MCA offers.

The price of the licence is dependent on a number of factors and finalised on a case by case basis.

The changes come after the MCA took into account the high costs that were barring many locals from entering the industry.

The usual cost of a cultivation licence for a plot less than 5,000 square feet is approximately USD$25,000 for two years. The new measures mean locals can get this licence for a five-year period at the discounted rate.