Page 31 - Islands Business March 2024

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binding referendum in August 2022 saw 62% of respondents this year, which its Chairman, Aldo Miccio says will allow it
agreeing that cannabis laws should be reviewed to allow for to access US$30 million pledged by alternative investment
research and medicinal use. group, GEM Global Yield, for clinical trials, research and
This saw the government set up a Cannabis Referendum development, and “construction and development of an
Committee, chaired by MP Tingika Elikana who said at the extraction hub in Fiji to optimise its supply chain ahead of
time: “In order to develop a regulatory framework for aggressive scale up.”
the legalisation of medicinal cannabis in the Cook Islands, Once the government’s feasibility study is concluded, any
research needs to be carried out on the systems and laws in recommendations it makes for legislative changes will be sent
countries where medicinal cannabis is legal.” to Fiji’s Cabinet for review.
On 14 December 2023, the Cook Islands parliament Voices of support for the sector include members of the Fiji
passed an amendment to the Narcotics and Misuse of Drugs Council of Churches, which approved a proposal to legalise
Amendment Act, which allows for providers like pharmacies marijuana only for pharmacological or therapeutic uses when
and hospitals to import and prescribe medicinal cannabis it met in April 2023, on the basis it will help locals utilise their
domestically. natural resources.
However, concerns linger over the societal impacts and
Fiji’s feasibility questions regulatory challenges that could be posed by legalising
Fiji’s government has commissioned a feasibility study to cannabis cultivation.
explore the viability of legalising medicinal cannabis. Last In a submission in October 2023, Rev Simione Tugi, the
year, it held 17 public and community consultations. General Secretary of the Fiji Council of Churches (FCC)
Announcing the formation of a task force to look at the emphasised the need for transparency, accountability, and
sector, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka stated: “Medicinal consideration of the poor and vulnerable in considering
cannabis holds promise for alleviating a range of illnesses and legalisation of a medicinal marijuana industry.
conditions.” One central theme in the FCC’s submission was the
Fiji currently does not have any explicit laws governing the insistence that the marijuana industry must serve the people
cultivation or processing of medical marijuana. and the common good rather than being solely profit-driven.
In the meantime, Aether Pacific Pharmaceuticals, trading as It stressed the importance of the Fijian people’s participation
Medical Kiwi, has inked a partnership with Fiji’s Trade Ministry in decision-making, demanding clarity on how the industry
to establish a medicinal cannabis industry. would benefit local communities, especially the poor and
With plans to invest FJ$65 million in Fiji over the next vulnerable.
few years and construct extraction facilities, Medical Kiwi “The Fijian people must participate and be part of the
epitomises the commercial interest fuelling this burgeoning decision-making process. How do people participate? What
sector. does the marijuana industry do for the Fijian people?” the
In New Zealand, Medical Kiwi is trialling the use of submission stated.
medicinal cannabis in nursing homes as a substitute for pain Kalesi Volatabu of Drug Free World Fiji has also warned
and sleep medication. against the potential for increased drug abuse, cautioning
The company is also moving towards stock exchange listing that “our system is not strong enough” to manage the
repercussions.
“We can’t even police the drugs right now in this country,”
THE GLOBAL MARKET she has told Fiji media. “So how can you police cannabis?”
In a bid to address these concerns, governments are
US-based business analyst firm, Allied Market Research, treading cautiously, emphasising responsible regulation and
reports the global cannabis market generated US$25.7 foreign investment.
billion in 2021, and is projected to reach US$148.9 billion Fiji’s Minister for Tra de, Manoa Kamikamica, underscores
by 2031. the need for “a heightened level of control” to ensure the
Medicinal cannabis is used to alleviate symptoms industry’s integrity.
associated with conditions such as chronic pain, nausea, “We will demonstrate to the people of Fiji that this will be
epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis. Unlike recreational handled responsibly.”
marijuana, medicinal cannabis is cultivated and harvested Kamikamica says the government will be using surveillance
specifically for therapeutic purposes, with strict tools, such as cameras on cannabis farms to do this and make
regulations on potency and quality. It can be administered sure the plants remain out of residents’ hands.
in various forms including oils, tinctures, capsules, topical While many countries are expected to continue legalising
creams, and edibles. medicinal cannabis, Pacific Island nations still aim towards a
Countries like Canada, the United States and Israel are delicate balance between promoting economic opportunities
among the biggest producers of medicinal cannabis, with and transparency, to ensure that the industry serves the
processing facilities distributed globally to meet demand. broader well-being of Pacific islanders.

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