As Jamaica expands its regulated cannabis industry through recent licensing reforms, stakeholders say the sector’s long-term success will depend not only on who is licensed to cultivate the crop, but also on convincing the public that medicinal cannabis is a scientifically regulated health product underpinned by rigorous quality standards.For Andray McKenzie, chief operating officer of Medicanja Limited and vice-president of the Ganja Growers and Producers Association of Jamaica (GGPAJ), changing that perception has become one of the industry’s biggest challenges.The message formed part of the Clarendon Ganja Growers’ Meeting at Central High School in May Pen on Sunday, where growers, entrepreneurs and prospective licence holders gathered to discuss Jamaica’s evolving regulatory framework and opportunities within the legal cannabis industry.The discussion comes as Jamaica’s regulated cannabis sector continues to gain momentum. The Cannabis Licensing Authority has now issued 196 licences spanning cultivation, processing, retail, transport and research, while the legal industry was valued at approximately $10 billion in 2025, reflecting significant year-on-year growth.Against that backdrop, McKenzie said maintaining public confidence would depend on ensuring medicinal cannabis products are backed by science and robust regulation.“Our products that we put on the market, they are approved. We go through the Ministry of Health Standards and Regulation Division, which has a very detailed system in which they evaluate and assess before these products are approved to go onto the market,” he said.He described that process as fundamental to the industry’s credibility.-“That is the first step in having these products verified and validated, especially if you’re making claims,” McKenzie said. “But, certainly, part of that is also to create awareness, because there is still a lot of misinformation and there is also a lot of miscommunication out there.”McKenzie said consumers should understand that regulated cannabis-based products are already available to help address conditions including chronic pain, insomnia and glaucoma, while stressing the importance of informed use.Among Medicanja’s products is a healing oil formulated to relieve pain, muscle soreness and joint stiffness. It contains cannabis extract alongside peppermint, pimento berry, eucalyptus, and other essential oils.Asked which health issue generates the most testimonials regarding the medicinal use of ganja, McKenzie said pain management tops the list.“From our side, pain management, in terms of the topicals,” he shared.The growing interest in medicinal cannabis comes amid continued research into its effectiveness in managing chronic pain. A 2025 living systematic review published by the National Library of Medicine examined evidence on cannabis and other plant-based treatments for chronic pain, finding that some cannabis-based products may provide modest improvements in pain outcomes for certain patients. However, the review also noted that benefits vary, depending on the product, dosage and condition being treated, and that further research is needed to better understand long-term effectiveness and safety.‘Getting some traction’McKenzie said Medicanja has also received encouraging feedback from users of its I-CANN eye-care product.“We’re also seeing where persons who are having glaucoma would come in terms of the I-CANN product that we have,” he said. “That product in particular is really getting some traction ... persons are now having less pain, clearer vision.”Medicanja’s I-CANN is an oral-drop supplement formulated to support people living with open-angle and normal-tension glaucoma.He was quick to add, however, that “these products would have gone through the rigour of the Ministry of Health”.Beyond the medical discussion, McKenzie urged Jamaicans to rethink how they view the cannabis industry.“There’s one thing you have to demystify. Farming ganja is similar to growing other crops,” he said, noting that quality control, irrigation and security are all integral to production.He said Medicanja employs pharmacists, pharmacologists and quality-control specialists throughout its operations, adding that the industry encompasses agriculture, agro-processing, pharmaceutical production, and brand development.“A lot of people are thinking it’s just growing some weed and smoking a spliff. That is part of coming here today, to show people it is much wider than that.”He added: “If you’re going to be using cannabis for medicinal purposes, you must know what you’re putting in your body. It’s not every single variant that does the same thing. You have to look at which strain does what and stick to those standards.”olivia.brown@gleanerjm.com