Lynwood Brown, chairman of the Bahamas Cannabis Authority, told Guardian Business yesterday that the licensing platform for firms making application for cannabis licenses is completed, and all that is needed now is the marketing campaign for applicants to be made aware of the process.
Brown said: "The platform is finished, it's ready. The cannabis authority's office has already been paid for, we have already gotten possession of it. We're just waiting for the right ministry to come and furnish it. This will happen after the general election and depending on the direction the election lands."
The Bahamas Cannabis Authority is the official regulatory body established to oversee the nation's legal cannabis industry. While the legislative framework was passed in July 2024, the full operational launch has faced delays due to the development of its specialized digital platform.
The platform will manage the entire "seed-to-sale" tracking system, host medical e-prescriptions, and process all license applications. The authority will regulate cannabis for medical, scientific, and religious purposes. However, cannabis for recreational use remains prohibited. Dr. Marvin Smith, Bahamas Pharmaceutical Association (BPA) president, told Guardian Business that he was approached by the representative of an American firm that told him the firm had already received a cannabis license from the authority. Brown, in response to that assertion, said it is impossible for that to happen and a foreign firm would not even have been entertained.
Read more at The Nassau Guardian
