Babies, elderly benefitting from medicinal cannabis use

Babies and elderly people are among those in Barbados benefitting from the use of medicinal cannabis products to treat their medical issues.

This was revealed by Director of the Barbados Drug Service, Maryam Karga-Hinds.

She confirmed that prescriptions for cannabinoid products, which are primarily imported are being filled locally, provided they are written by a registered medical practitioner.

Ms. Karga-Hinds was speaking as the Barbados Drug Service and the Barbados Medicinal Cannabis Licensing Authority (BMCLA) signed a memorandum of understanding for the regulation of medicinal cannabis use in Barbados.

It stipulates that the Authority will regulate cannabis in its plant form, whereas the Drug Service will have purview over the finished product including tablets, creams and gels.

During the signing ceremony, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the BMCLA, Senator Shanika Roberts-Odle, revealed that five more businesses have been awarded medicinal cannabis licences, up from two last July.

Under the legislation, all international companies must have at least 30% local or CARICOM national direct ownership to operate a medicinal cannabis business in Barbados.

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