Cannabis Licensing Authority Opens New Headquarters

State Minister for Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Delano Seiveright.

The Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) has opened its new headquarters at 7 Haining Road in Kingston.

The location consolidates operations in a modern facility designed to strengthen service delivery, improve operational efficiency, and provide a more spacious, comfortable environment for staff and stakeholders alike.

Speaking at the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday (July 15), State Minister for Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Delano Seiveright, said that the new headquarters symbolises Jamaica’s continued dedication to “building a modern, transparent, credible and internationally respected medicinal cannabis industry”.

He said the relocation reflects the expanding role of the CLA and its commitment to delivering more efficient, accessible, and client-focused regulatory services.

It comes during a period in which the CLA is being asked to improve service delivery, reduce barriers to entry and provide greater technical support to Jamaicans seeking to participate in the regulated industry.

Mr. Seiveright noted that when the Government established the CLA, it made a deliberate decision to embrace responsible regulation.

“We recognised the enormous medicinal, scientific and economic potential in the industry, while equally recognising our responsibility to protect public health, public safety and the integrity of the regulatory framework,” he said.

He noted that around the world, Governments continue to modernise cannabis policy, increasingly guided by science, medicine, investment and public health.

In the United States, the world’s largest legal cannabis market, the industry is estimated to be valued at around $32 billion annually, and efforts are being accelerated towards federal cannabis rescheduling.

“So, while the process remains subject to legal and regulatory considerations, it signals that the global conversation continues to evolve towards medical research, responsible regulation and economic opportunity,” Mr. Seiveright said.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony also marked the presentation of the Authority's 200th cannabis licence to Kush Palace in Montego Bay, St. James.

Created under the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Act, 2015, the CLA is the agency leading the development of Jamaica's legal medicinal cannabis industry.

By Ainsworth Morris