Medicinal Cannabis

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Cultivate with CONFIDENCE

The medicinal cannabis sector is the newest industry sector to be added within Business Isle of Man’s strategy to encourage and expand regulatory entrepreneurship as an economic engine for the Island's growth. In 2021 the Isle of Man Government introduced a flexible and detailed regulatory framework to allow commercial operators to grow, manufacture, distribute and export cannabis products under license from the Isle of Man.

The Regulator: The GSC

The GSC, boasts a world-class system for assessing regulatory risk and conducting physical inspections for its licensees through its supervision of the online gambling sector in the Isle of Man.

The GSC has worked carefully to apply the best of that framework to the risks associated with the Medicinal Cannabis sector, ensuring that all stakeholders will be competent, lawful and capable of building a sector that is safe, trusted and efficient.

The GSC’s role is to facilitate the licencing, regulation and supervision of activity related to the cultivation of medicinal cannabis.

The GSC supervises licensees through a robust supervision programme which includes but is not limited to integrity tests, site inspections, testing, regular financial and harvest returns.

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Licensing Pathways

There are several licensing pathways under the new legislation which are dependent upon the type of cannabis product the intended licensee wishes to either produce, distribute or export from the Island. These include:

For organisations looking to grow High THC cannabis.

For organisations looking to import or export to/from the Isle of Man.

For organisations looking to process or extract cannabinoids from cannabis biomass.

For individuals or organisations looking to possess cannabinoid substances for testing and analysis.

For individuals or organisations looking to possess cannabinoid substances for research and development.

Please note that research and development applications use the same application pathway as High THC cultivation Licence applications.

For organisations looking to transport and store cannabis independent of cultivation.

BUSINESS FOCUSSED REGULATOR

The Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC) regulate the Isle of Man's Medicinal Cannabis Sector from a cultivation, production, and export perspective. The GSC are an accessible and respected regulator with a well-established reputation earned through regulating the Isle of Man's international eGaming sector.

EU GMP CERTIFICATION AVAILABLE

With the Memorandum of Understanding in place between the Isle of Man and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, Isle of Man Licence holders can attain EU Good Manufacturing Practices Certification. This process may be facilitated via the Isle of Man Department of Health & Social Care.

MODULAR AND FLEXIBLE LICENCING FRAMEWORK

Licences that fit the business models and business requirements of licence holders and include the ability to conduct research in a regulated manner without a full cultivation licence.

LICENCE IN PRINCIPAL

Prospective operators in the Isle of Man can obtain a licence in principle prior to completing the equipping and / or construction of their facilities. Licence applicants will be required to evidence and clearly explain their route to market to gain this licence in principle, which will enable them to pursue their business objectives in the knowledge that the regulator has consented to their plans.

INHERENTLY SECURE

Isle of Man based cultivators will benefit from operating in a location protected by the natural barrier of the Irish Sea. As male cannabis plants may only be grown inside on the Island in very limited numbers for research purposes, operators are able to work in the knowledge that the risk of cross-pollination is low.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

The Isle of Man offers a wide variety of financial assistance schemes. This includes financial assistance of up to 40% of the cost of a variety of items such as office rent, initial set up costs, office fit outs and furnishings, training, equipment, implementing quality standards and off-Island marketing.

JOIN OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY

Start-ups with bold ideas and innovative business concepts
Medium-sized operators developing differentiated products
Established operators wishing to ensure their production division is diversified and robust
Research focussed businesses seeking regulatory assurance
Cultivators seeking the control and consistency that indoor growing can offer
Producers of medicinal cannabis with a high quality and targeted product range