Westmoreland ganja farmers registered in push toward legal cannabis trade

More than 500 ganja farmers in Western Westmoreland were formally registered on Thursday as part of an initiative led by the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce to bring growers into the legal cannabis system.

The registration exercise was welcomed by farmers, many of whom said they had long wanted the chance to cultivate ganja without fear of harassment or prosecution. One farmer described the development as a major turning point and thanked the constituency’s political leadership.

Ian Hayles, Member of Parliament for Western Westmoreland, played a central role in the registration drive. He said changes to the Cannabis Licensing Authority’s regulations now allow more Jamaicans to register for an activity that many had previously carried out outside the law.

Hayles said cannabis cultivation is widespread across his constituency, where ganja forms part of the local economy. He noted that recent police operations had led to large amounts of ganja being seized and destroyed, and said he wanted residents to be able to earn a living without ending up in jail or having to run from law enforcement.

He thanked Minister Auburn Hill, along with the Cannabis Licensing Authority’s chief executive and board, for helping to create a pathway for farmers in Western Westmoreland and elsewhere in Jamaica to operate in a regulated environment.

Farmers are now looking for the registration process to lead to wider economic opportunities. Hayles said the next challenge is how the crop will be sold, especially given the difficulty of accessing overseas markets. He suggested that an extraction facility be established in the constituency to produce cannabis byproducts that may be easier to market internationally.