Jamaica Gleaner

Ganja outlet coming to Market Place

- Steven Jackson/ Senior Business Reporter steven.jackson@gleanerjm.com

LICENSED GANJA operator Epican Medicinal Limited plans to open an outlet at popular Market Place complex in Kingston, which the planning authoritie­s describe as an agroproces­sing facility.

Epican has received planning permission and an environmen­tal permit for constructi­on and operation of the facility, at Shop 3, according to the published decisions of the National Environmen­t & Planning Agency.

Epican did not respond to emailed questions up to press time. The establishm­ent would be a different type of operation at Market Place, which is frequented by locals and travellers for its bars and restaurant­s.

Epican’s agro-processing facility would also represent the latest move by operators in the medicinal ganja industry to set up facilities or signage to promote their businesses, including Kaya Cafe led by Balram Vaswani, and Ganja Cafe led by Dr Henry Lowe of Medicanja.

Epican was co-founded by Dwayne and Karibe McKenzie, who act as the company ’s president and chief executive officer, respective­ly. Last October, the Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA), which regulates the sector, issued licences to Epican to commercial­ly cultivate medical ganja. Subsequent­ly, Epican was reportedly issued two additional licences to process and retail the drug, but the CLA’s website offers no confirmati­on as a search came back with the result of “no licensees are in the database at this time”.

 ??  ?? Dwayne McKenzie and Karibe McKenzie of Epican
Dwayne McKenzie and Karibe McKenzie of Epican

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