The US has received its first ever DEA-sanctioned marijuana import from Jamaica.
Pure Jamaican and its GMP-certified, licensed pharma manufacturer Seven-10 Pharmaceuticals have legally exported proprietary pharmaceutical products with cannabis-derived THC, as well as hemp-derived CBD and other cannabinoids, to the United States, Brazil and other major international markets, according to a press release.
The permissions to export Pure Jamaican pharmaceutical products containing THC to the US were granted by Jamaica’s Ministry of Health & Wellness (MOHW) to Seven-10 Pharmaceuticals pursuant to valid corresponding import permits received from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The products were shipped to a DEA-licensed facility in the US for successful analytical testing.
“Once the DEA approves the rescheduling of THC from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 in the US, as is widely anticipated, Seven-10 intends to request DEA permits to ship Pure Jamaican pharmaceutical THC products from Jamaica to patients in the US, subject to valid doctor prescriptions and all relevant DEA, FDA and state pharmacy distribution regulations”, states the press release.
Meanwhile, Seven-10 has already begun shipping Pure Jamaican’s BotanicosTM pharmaceutical tinctures with THC and other cannabinoids directly to patients in Brazil, pursuant to ANVISA import permits. Together, Brazil and the US represent populations of more than 500 million people, providing tremendous potential demand.
Scott Cathcart, CEO of Pure Jamaican and Seven-10 Pharmaceuticals said, “This is a proud moment for Jamaica, and for our group of companies. Jamaica has long been associated with ‘ganja’ but never before in this context as a producer and legal exporter of THC as a pharmaceutical-grade medicine. As the only company in Jamaica licensed for pharmaceutical manufacturing of cannabinoids, we are proud to be leading the way to elevating the role of Jamaica in the global cannabis ecosystem.”
The President of Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), Shullette Cox, stated that “the growth of the cannabis industry for medicinal purposes has been a priority of the Government of Jamaica and particularly, the export of value-added products from Jamaica. The success of Pure Jamaican and Seven-10 Pharmaceuticals is applauded as JAMPRO continues to facilitate the local medicinal cannabis industry and ensuring its role in driving the growth of exports.”
Dr. Ellen Campbell Grizzle, Chief Regulatory and Compliance Officer of Pure Jamaican and Seven-10 Pharmaceuticals, and former Dean of the College of Health Sciences, UTech said, “This is a labour of love and not easy. Jamaica has 52% of the world’s medicinal plants in our small island nation, and we are very proud to be exploring ways to identify new botanical medicines to bring health, wellness, new exports and economic growth to our country.”
