All eyes on WEED
AN EFFECTIVE track-and-trace system that gives the Government a digital footprint of every ganja plant in the medical marijuana industry is a critical part of any regulatory programme, says technology solutions specialist Alex Spelman.
A track-and-trace system is a software commonly used to monitor regulated goods such as alcohol and tobacco. It allows regulators to monitor every move of a product from inception right until the consumer purchases it. In the cannabis industry, trackand-trace systems are seen as a must-have regulatory tool that tags and tracks each plant as well as each by-product of that plant such as edibles or oils. Its biggest advantage is having a digital trail of every plant and product in the regulated system, which ensures that ganja from the illicit market does not enter the regulated market and vice versa.
“I think every government needs a track-and-trace system that is going to ensure visibility, accountability, and consistency,” said Spelman, vice-president of business development for SICPA, a Switzerland-based technology firm.
Spelman said that to effectively regulate the industry, the Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) must know how much inventory is in the legal market, and it must be able to account for each plant and ensure that it is not involved with illicit activities. He said that the authority must also be able to track the plant’s journey through the different safety and analytical tests in order to protect public health.
Spelman was in the country recently pitching his company’s services and was a guest of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce.
Currently, local licensed producers track their own inventory and report it to the CLA, but the authority has indicated that it is looking towards having its own trackand-trace system into which all licensees will be required to plug.
However, one local industry insider, who preferred to remain anonymous, believes that the Government can save millions of dollars by refining the current process of allowing licensed producers to report their inventory using their in-house tracking system.
He noted that in Canada, the world’s largest legal weed market, “there is no Government-run track and trace”, and companies submit their inventory report upon inspection by a state official.
ADDED BUSINESS VALUE
The medicinal ganja industry is one of the most tightly scrutinised and regulated industries. Despite not yet having a globally accepted set of manufacturing standards, ganja’s illicit history and polarising views mean that governments aren’t leaving any room for reputational damage.
Spelman noted that outside of its functional role, the implementation of a track-and-trace system comes with added business value.
“Another benefit is that there is economic value and social equity in having a product that’s so well regulated. Consumers will be more confident in your product,” he pointed out.
SICPA has made a name for itself in Humboldt County in California, USA, a famous marijuana-cultivation region. Using its SICPATRACE technology, the company serves over 500 licensed producers in California. Spelman says that the similar dynamics between Humboldt County and the Jamaican industry led him to the island to provide a “compliance enabler”.
Spelman noted that key to the successful implementation of any state-run track-and-trace system is adoption by the licensed producers.
“It’s not going to be effective if it’s not going to be used. Training and providing support are very critical in a successful deployment,” he added. “It ensures everyone is operating at the same standards and protects the company’s investment by being compliant.”