The Government has drafted legislation to amend the Dangerous Drugs Act in a move to establish medical ganja and industrial hemp industries.

Minister of Justice, Senator Mark Golding, made the announcement at a special press briefing yesterday, at the Office of the Prime Minister.

The minister explained that the cultivation and other activities involved in the production and supply of the plant will be legal under a controlled regime.

He further said that the objective of modifying the Dangerous Drugs Act, is to lay the foundations for the establishment of regulatory regimes to govern the cultivation and use of ganja for medical and scientific purposes, as well as non-medical industrial hemp.

The amended law will observe Jamaica's anti-narcotics obligations and the industries will operate under licence.

"It must be emphasised that these proposals must be consistent with the existing requirements of the anti-narcotics treaties to which Jamaica is a party," Senator Golding is quoted as saying in a release from the Jamaica Information Service.

A Licensing Authority is to be established to govern the licensing processes for participation in the medicinal ganja industry, while the industrial hemp industry will be similarly subject to a licensing system. The amended Dangerous Drugs Act will enable the making of regulations for the licensing authority.

Minister Golding informed that it will deal with "permits and authorisations for the controlled cultivation, production, processing, possession, transportation, delivery, offering for sale, exporting and importing of ganja for medical and scientific purposes, including research, clinical trials and the manufacture of nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals."