Five applications for a medicinal cannabis licence have been submitted since the sector was first regulated in the Isle of Man.

A regulatory framework for the commercial cultivation, manufacture, distribution and export of cannabis-based medicinal products was introduced by the Manx government in 2021.

The Gambling Supervision Commission was appointed as the regulator for the sector.

Licences are required for the cultivation, transport, storage, extraction, manufacture, analysis and research into medicinal cannabis and for industrial hemp.

Figures released by the GSC under Freedom of Information show that five new applications for medicinal cannabis licences have been submitted since July 2021, the latest only in September this year.

Two applications were withdrawn and there is one pending application.

Two applications were approved in principle in September 2021 but are not yet active.

An application to build the island’s first medicinal cannabis production facility was unanimously approved by the planning committee in November last year.

The purpose-built production facility and headquarters for Grow Lab Organics is to be constructed on the Ronaldsway industrial estate, just to the west of Ronaldsway Aircraft Factory (23/00239/B).

In June 2022 Grow Lab became the first company in the Isle of Man to secure a licence from the GSC to grow and export medicinal cannabis commercially.

Grow Lab founder Alex Fray told Isle of Man Today: ‘We continue to make significant progress within the business and are now setting the stage for the next phases of development.

‘As soon as preparations are finalised we are keen to begin work on-site and will be releasing a press release at that time.’

‘We are, as always, grateful for the support from the local community,’ he added.

Meanwhile, an application by Peel Group subsidiary Peel NRE Ltd to construct and operate a cannabis cultivations campus and solar energy park on land off Cooil Road in Braddan (22/00678/B) is still awaiting consideration despite being submitted back in June 2022.

Manx Utilities had said that due to the size of development and potential high energy usage it would be necessary to reinforce the existing electricity network in order to provide the required capacity.

Following Grow Lab gaining planning consent, the applicant had a meeting with planners where it was noted that Peel’s plans had comparable power demand.

Manx Utilities had initially objected to Grow Lab’s proposals which was thought to require 3MW in total but had then concluded that this demand could be met with their existing generation infrastructure.

The element of the Cooil Road scheme for which planning consent is sought has a power demand of 4MW.

A spokesperson for the GSC confirmed two licences have been approved in principle.

They said: ‘Approved in principle means the application has been approved but not live/operating.

‘The licences will be published when the operator is active.’

Licences to dispense private prescriptions for cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPMs) are handled separately, by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).