PUBLIC support is growing for Fiji’s proposed medicinal cannabis industry, with nationwide consultations showing 75 per cent of participants support the initiative.
Finance Minister Esrom Immanuel revealed in Parliament this week that the Nutraceutical and Medicinal Cannabis Taskforce conducted 17 nationwide consultations involving 12 government agencies and 513 participants, with three out of every four participants expressing support for the proposal.
He made the comments while outlining a range of investment and industry development initiatives supported by the ministry, including work on commercial agriculture, kava and medicinal cannabis.
“The Commercial Agriculture Taskforce, established in 2023 in partnership with Investment Fiji, has attracted and progressed five major investments, the Wonderful Company, Aitken Spence Plantations, Bula Coffee, Pacific Trade Invest, and FMF Foods Limited – spanning papaya, citrus, honey, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, pineapple, and cassava starch manufacturing.”
Fiji’s medicinal cannabis proposal has been nearly three years in the making. The process began in August 2023 when Cabinet established a multi-agency medicinal cannabis taskforce to assess the feasibility of developing a regulated industry. The taskforce conducted nationwide consultations between October and November 2023 before Cabinet approved a policy framework in February 2024 to guide the sector’s development. Following Cabinet’s approval, Investment Fiji began promoting the sector to potential investors. New Zealand-based Medical Kiwi expressed interest in investing about $65million in Fiji once the necessary laws and licensing framework are established.
Former trade minister Manoa Kamikamica said last year Government intended to develop medicinal cannabis as a new export industry, producing pharmaceutical-grade cannabis products for overseas markets while attracting foreign investment and creating jobs, rather than legalising recreational marijuana. However, legislation has yet to be introduced, meaning commercial cultivation and licensing remain on hold.
