No, there won't be any legal ganja at the airport: ______________________
MBJ AIRPORTS Limited, which manages Jamaica’s largest airport, says companies have approached it for space to set up legal marijuana stores.
But Sangster International Airport’s management is seeking legal advice on whether there are any regulatory blockades in the way before giving serious consideration to such concessions.
As such, MBJ “is not currently engaged in any discussions or negotiations with any individual or entity,” said MBJ Airports CEO Dr Rafael Echevarne.
The location of such a store
would likely be located in the arrival terminal in the postsecurity zone, but MBJ said it had not seriously considered where ganja shops would be positioned in the terminal.
The Airports Authority of Jamaica promised to weigh in on the issue, but did not follow through. Research on airport shops internationally did not turn up any that offered legal marijuana.
“We would want to review other applicable laws to MBJ as an airport operator or policies which guide our operation, to determine whether we are in a position to accommodate this type of business and the extent of range of products that may be offered from the airport,” said Echevarne.
The MBJ said it its plans for diversifying the store offerings at Sangster International does not include the marijuana sector – at least, “not at this time”. There are more that 60 stores at the airport and all are occupied, Echevarne said.
The Cannabis Licensing Authority, CLA, indicated that up to August 31, it had issued four licences to medical marijuana retailers, while another 37 were at the conditional stage of approval.
The CLA has also issued 13 cultivator licences, three processing licences, two licences for research and development, but none for transport of the drug.
The cannabis regulator explained that although no licence has yet been issued for transport, alternative arrangements have been made by the CLA to facilitate the smooth movement of plant material within the industry.
Additionally, the CLA itself is actively involved in overseeing the escort of plant material between licensees as required under the regulations.
The agency was unable to provide an estimate of the value of the legal marijuana industry to date.