Cannabis licensing costs barrier to small farmers, regulator acknowledges

High licensing costs are keeping medicinal cannabis cultivation out of reach for small farmers, the industry’s chief regulator acknowledged on Friday, while stigma and advertising restrictions hamper the industry’s development.

The chief executive of the Barbados Medicinal Cannabis Licensing Authority, Shanika Roberts-Odle, acknowledged that the financial requirements can prove prohibitive for small farmers seeking to enter the sector.

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Addressing concerns about a five-year tier-one cultivation licence costing approximately $29 700, Roberts-Odle told Barbados TODAY that doing business comes at a cost.