The Nassau Guardian
Bahamas Pharmaceutical Association (BPA) President Dr. Marvin Smith told Guardian Business that despite the possibility of cannabis dispensing licenses being granted to pharmacists by the second quarter of 2025, his members have not gotten a response from the government on joint training programs with the Ministry of Health.
Smith, responding to comments made by Attorney General Ryan Pinder, who said that the government will start issuing cannabis licenses by the second quarter of this year, said that since the issuing of licenses will be reserved for Bahamians, medical professionals will need to get ready ahead of time.
Smith said: “The cannabis bill also speaks to establishing standards for potency, but what are those standards? These are the things that need to be put out in the public discussion, so that any Bahamian who wants to know is able to find what they are looking for.
“Additionally, in our discussions with Minister of Health Dr. Michael Darville and the AG, the association was told that when the time came to put standards in place and craft regulations around the technical aspects of this, the association would be invited to participate in feedback. We’ve rewritten the minister in October of last year, and wrote him again in November, and we have not gotten a response yet.”
Section 6 (3) of the Cannabis Bill provides that the Cannabis Authority, in consultation with the director of the bureau of standards, shall develop quality, safety, proficiency in testing, training and certification standards and specifications for observance by licensees or other persons involved in the cannabis industry. And also that, in consultation with the Medical Council and the Pharmacy Council, provide training for the use of cannabis with respect to any medical condition.
Smith said that based on a meeting his members had with the Ministry of Health (MOH), they understood that there would be a partnership with the MOH and the BPA in crafting the standards together, and input would be given by the BPA once the MOH made the first move. “And it was on that basis and that basis alone that the BPA would lend its support to the act.”
Smith continued: “We have seen zero effort on behalf of the government to make good on that promise. And we are calling on them to take seriously what the AG is saying and it being realistic in terms of what the government intends to do. The government is behind the eight-ball with regard to involving pharmacies as a critical partner in this.
“We’re calling on the government to make good on its promise because as the BPA, we are Bahamians, we are key components of this sector, and if you really want it done right for patients, to continue to sideline us puts patients at danger. It’s as simple as that. The government has been adamant that this is a medical regimen, not a recreational regimen, so let’s treat this like healthcare and bring in the partners to make this happen.”
