Caribbean nation of Saint Vincent exports first cargo of medical cannabis

KINGSTOWN, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has exported a cargo of 110 pounds (49.8 kilos) of medical cannabis after receiving a license for export to Germany, according to official announcements and a local official familiar with the matter.

Saint Vincent, a Caribbean nation with a population of just over 110,000 people, has for years developed its local cannabis industry. In 2018, Saint Vincent created a state agency to oversee licensing and ensure its medical cannabis is available to local patients.

The shipment left on Jan. 18 and is expected to arrive in Germany on Jan. 19, said the official, who asked not to be named because he is not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.

The cargo was sold by Caribbean Cannabis Company, which already markets several products locally, according to the source.

Caribbean Cannabis Company did not respond to a request for comment.

St Vincent Agriculture Minister Saboto Caesar said on Jan. 7 that Germany's Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices had approved a license for the shipment.

"St. Vincent and the Grenadines is ready for global business in the Medicinal Wellness Industry space," Caesar said, adding the government hopes to develop other wellness products including traditional medicines and the emerging field of psychedelic medicine.

He said it was the first medical cannabis export by a member of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, made up of 11 nations and overseas territories on the eastern edge of the Caribbean Sea. (Reporting by Robertson S Henry in Kingstown; writing by Brian Ellsworth in Caracas; Editing by Leslie Adler)