In the US, medical cannabis is a multi-billion dollar industry. We go behind the scenes at one of Britain’s top-secret growing facilities and meet the experts who believe it’s high time the drug’s potential was harnessed in the UK, too
There seems to be a lot of interest from large companies in not allowing smaller cultivators.
And the government sacking David Nutt didn’t help either.
And all of that was by one company. The government wouldn’t grant a license to anyone else. You can see why it hasn’t been legalised, it’s more profitable to them if they have a monopoly.
They’ve since granted 2 more licenses, one of which is out in Jersey, both are no doubt tied to politicians.
British Sugar never had a license to grow cannabis, they have a license to produce cannabis products - all the cannabis was grown by GW Pharmaceutical, who were the only license holder for growing until a couple years ago.
Northern Leaf, which was founded two years ago and received its permit in December, is the second only company to be granted a UK licence for commercial marijuana cultivation. GW Pharmaceuticals, a US-listed leader in cannabis-based epilepsy medicines that was founded in the UK, was awarded the first permit in 1998.
The story about Victoria Atkins came from Theresa May’s tenure as PM, which was well before 2021.
I’m aware there are articles that say British Sugar grew it, but they’re simply wrong. Like I say, I’m pretty sure there’s also been a 3rd license granted to a company in England since this article.
I’m surprised there isn’t more of a general legalization push in the UK, I guess it’s in part because nobody actually cares.
I smell weed pretty much every time I leave the house. The police don’t seem to give a shit, and I see people smoking it outside all the time.
The UK is one of the world’s biggest growers of medicinal cannabis. 2017 ICNB report ,page 44
There seems to be a lot of interest from large companies in not allowing smaller cultivators.
And the government sacking David Nutt didn’t help either.
And all of that was by one company. The government wouldn’t grant a license to anyone else. You can see why it hasn’t been legalised, it’s more profitable to them if they have a monopoly.
They’ve since granted 2 more licenses, one of which is out in Jersey, both are no doubt tied to politicians.
British Sugar had the only license to grow medicinal cannabis, at their location in Wissington, Norfolk for quite a few years.
It is of course entirely coincidental that British Sugar’s MD, Paul Kenward, is married to Victoria Atkins, an MP and government minister.
British Sugar never had a license to grow cannabis, they have a license to produce cannabis products - all the cannabis was grown by GW Pharmaceutical, who were the only license holder for growing until a couple years ago.
Edit: Source, from 2021: https://www.ft.com/content/e5984c45-34b4-4669-badf-d99b3fbeb4f5
The story about Victoria Atkins came from Theresa May’s tenure as PM, which was well before 2021.
I’m aware there are articles that say British Sugar grew it, but they’re simply wrong. Like I say, I’m pretty sure there’s also been a 3rd license granted to a company in England since this article.
probably because they know how easy it is to grow and it would undermine their potential profits.