“The potential is absolutely huge,” Seiveright said, pointing to the strong global association between Jamaica, reggae culture and cannabis. He noted that the country’s medicinal cannabis framework, introduced through amendments to the Dangerous Drugs Act in 2015, laid the foundation for the industry’s growth.

Seiveright said the Cannabis Licensing Authority has issued more than 200 licences across cultivation, retail, processing and research. He also highlighted recent amendments aimed at lowering barriers for small farmers and community-based operators to enter the industry.

Under the changes, groups in rural communities can now apply for special permits with lower fees and reduced administrative requirements.

“We want to ensure that when the world opens up, everyone is ready or everyone has a fair chance to be ready,” Seiveright said.

Founder of Jacana Wellness, Alexandra Chong, said the industry is finally moving beyond its early “teething problems” and entering a phase of accelerated growth.

Chong said Jacana now works with major international hospitality groups, including Marriott and Sandals and exports wellness products to the United States and the United Kingdom.

She said one of the biggest changes has been the gradual easing of stigma surrounding cannabis and the growing recognition of its medicinal value globally.

However, both Chong and Seiveright acknowledged that banking restrictions remain a major challenge because of Jamaica’s dependence on correspondent banking relationships tied to United States federal regulations.

Still, the pair said recent moves in the US to reclassify marijuana at the federal level could help unlock investment and wider market access for Jamaican operators in the years ahead.