Cannabis licensing authority, BNSI partner to ensure quality

The Barbados Medicinal Cannabis Licensing Authority (BMCLA) has received new industry standards from the Barbados National Standards Institution (BNSI) to support the local cannabis industry, with the aim to ensure that the medicinal cannabis industry is held to the highest ethical standards.

The strategic partnership between BNSI’s standards, test methods, certification, technical regulation support and training, and the BMCLA’s regulatory oversight of the cannabis industry allows both entities to establish optimal qualities for medicinal cannabis products.

The first deliverable was the testing parametres for raw cannabis material which was developed by the BNSI in collaboration with the BMCLA and technical experts.
Raw cannabis material is the primary and fundamental ingredient in the production of medicinal cannabis products.

The other deliverable from BNSI to the BMCLA was a standard for packaging and labelling of medicinal cannabis products.

In the official handover, BMCLA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Shantal Munro- Knight said: “We have worked with BNSI to develop testing parameters as well as standards for packaging and labelling.

These standards represent an important plank in our efforts to ensure high quality standards in our industry, building out a culture that fosters consumer trust and confidence that products, produced locally and abroad are safe and efficacious.”

She continued: “As regulators of an industry that impacts persons’ health and wellbeing – in the form as medicine – it is imperative that our growers and processors can confirm the contents of their products, so that information can be passed on to protect consumers.”

The packaging and labelling standard developed under the authority of the BNSI for the BMCLA is a business tool which provides clear information to applicants and licensees on how to meet the requirements of applicable regulation in conformance with the law.

BNSI’s Chief Technical Officer Fabian Scott explained that, “The contributions of both the BNSI and the BMCLA present the industry with coherent business acumen, scientific and technical expertise. In this regard, the strategic partnership between the BNSI and the

BMCLA provides both steering and supporting mechanisms in the forms of quality benchmarks, hand-holding and training to name a few.

“Quality infrastructure support also helps shorten the life-cycle from plant-to-product as quality is built into each step along the production value-chain.”

“The strategic partnership, between the BNSI and the BMCLA, demonstrates the leadership and maturity of the BMCLA having embraced a Quality Culture.

A Quality Culture embedded in the cannabis industry illustrates the BMCLA’s understanding of the needs of their clients and investors. The BNSI looks forward to further deepening its relationship with the BMCLA as Barbados builds its cannabis industry,” he added.
(PR)