Hanway help first company in British Isles to receive a licence to commercially supply cannabis in 20 years

The Hanway team is pleased to announce that it has provided licensing assistance to Northern Leaf, Jersey’s first medical cannabis cultivator, and the first company in the British Isles to receive a licence to commercially supply cannabis since GW Pharmaceuticals and its exclusive contract cultivators.

Dr Henry Fisher, who leads the licensing unit within Hanway Associates said:

“Despite the rescheduling of medical cannabis products in the UK over two years ago, the lengthy and opaque controlled drugs licensing process has meant domestic supply has not yet become a reality. This licence is an indication that this is now, finally, beginning to change.”

Jersey is a Crown Dependency, meaning it is not part of the UK but a self-governing possession of the British Crown. There have been a slew of announcements from British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies as they rush to implement cannabis licensing frameworks; The British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Guernsey & the Isle of Man to name a few. This announcement from Jersey marks the first successful full license to cultivate and commercially supply cannabis-based medicinal products in one of these jurisdictions or mainland UK.

George McBride CEO of Hanway Associates said:

“In the face of obstacle after obstacle, new commercial cannabis licences are finally being awarded in the British Isles. This momentous moment for Northern Leaf is also a dramatic shift in policy from the Home Office, which gave its approval to Jersey to establish a medical cannabis industry on the island.”

With the British Virgin Islands’ bill to create a medical cannabis system on the island still lacking the Royal Assent it needs from the British authorities to become law, they and many other parts of the Commonwealth who still rely on the UK to pass their laws will be asking when they too will get a chance to start licensing cannabis businesses.

Whether or not Northern Leaf's licence will lead to greater reform in the Commonwealth or in the UK remains to be seen. Nevertheless, the presence of a new licensed cannabis cultivator in the British Isles is surely something to rejoice.

Hanway Associates provides structured and strategic licensing support for companies attempting to navigate the Home Office controlled drugs licensing process, whether for research purposes, or for production of cannabis based medicinal products. For more information contact georgia@hanwayassociates.com