The UK awards its second medical cannabis cultivation license

The Jersey government, under the leadership of Home Office of the United Kingdom, has granted a medical cannabis cultivation permit to the Northern Leaf company, more than 20 years after the only cultivation permit was awarded by the UK to  GW Pharmaceuticals in 1998.

Northern Leaf plans to supply THC-rich cannabis to Great Britain, Germany, Denmark, Spain and Portugal.

The first batch of medical cannabis grown in their 7,000m² greenhouse is expected to be half a ton, according to Northern Leaf's managing director, Campbell Dunlop.

«Demand is increasing worldwide and the market is currently undersupplied,» said Campbell Dunlop.

Northern Leaf will produce pharmaceutical-grade flowers and oils for the wholesale market or for sale under proprietary brands. The plants will be grown and processed on site. The company is also exploring ways of penetrating the UK market via the «specialty drugs» route, a category of unlicensed drugs prescribed to meet a patient's individual clinical needs when a suitable licensed drug is not available.

Northern Leaf was obviously delighted with the granting of this license, stressing that it was recognition at government level of the quality of operations and the team assembled by the company.

Northern Leaf is backed by Chrystal Capital Partners, a private equity fund which has already invested £3 million in the company and aims to raise a further £5 million.

«We helped Northern Leaf establish itself by acquiring greenhouses in Jersey and assisting in the development of the management team, as well as helping to secure its high-THC license and bringing in specialty partners for its products.» a declared Kingsley Wilson, co-founder of Chrystal Capital Partners.

Northern Leaf will become the UK's second-largest national producer of medical cannabis, after pioneer GW Pharmaceuticals.

GW is now one of the world's leading medical cannabis companies, with its own domestic cultivation and medicines. Sativex and Epidyolex. Its first cultivation facility was built over 20 years ago. Its research and cultivation activities are notably based in Kent.