Guernsey’s Medicinal Cannabis Sector: ‘Golden Opportunity’ Missed, Says Industry Leader

An industry leader has stated that Guernsey has failed to capitalize on a “golden opportunity” to establish itself as a global hub for medicinal cannabis production. Medicinal cannabis cultivation and growth have been permissible in Guernsey since July 2021. According to States figures, 13,000 individuals in Guernsey were issued prescriptions for medicinal cannabis during 2023. Paul Smith, who founded the House of Green, a medicinal cannabis enterprise based in Guernsey, attributed the industry’s limited expansion on the island partly to insufficient governmental comprehension. The BBC has sought comment from the government. Mr Smith informed BBC Radio Guernsey that the island once had the potential to develop into a “world leader” in this sector, and he believes a “golden opportunity” was squandered. He stated: “Guernsey would have been an excellent base for an international business. “While that is still possible, when you look at the financials of starting a cannabis farm in the UK or starting one in Guernsey, the costs in the UK are going to be so much less. “The fact we haven’t started already is what puts us at a disadvantage.” He explained that this situation has led to the importation of cannabis from Europe and Canada, despite Guernsey’s potential to profit from exporting its own goods. Referring to a “golden opportunity” in 2019 to “steal a march” on competing jurisdictions, he asserted that this prospect was undermined by a subsequent decrease in the number of licensees. He identified a “lack of understanding” regarding the industry within the local government as one of the contributing factors. He mentioned that industry specialists had, at the time, endeavored to “explain” the operational aspects of the sector at “both a political and officer level”. However, he noted that the sector was “never really understood properly,” citing insufficient “good engagement” between the two sides. He further alleged that business leaders, including himself, were “excluded” from discussions concerning a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the States and the UK. He stated: “It meant the whole process and final MOU that got signed was very detrimental to the Channel Islands and imposed certain restrictions that made the whole thing commercially unviable.” Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk.Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.