Cannabis licensing guidelines (FOI)

Request

Could you please provide me with the licensing guidelines for the cultivation and / or processing of cannabis and derived products.

Response

Information held by the Government in relation to licensing guidelines is exempt from release under Article 35 (Formulation and development of policy) of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011.

Article applied
Article 35 Formulation and development of policies

Information is qualified exempt information if it relates to the formulation or development of any proposed policy by a public authority.

Justification

Article 35 is a qualified exemption, which means that a public interest test is required to be undertaken by the Scheduled Public Authority (SPA). The SPA has reviewed the balancing arguments in relation to public interest favouring release versus public interest favouring withholding.

Although there is a need for transparency, accountability, financial and good decision making by public authorities, the formulation of policy and the necessary decision making process in relation to licensing guidelines for the cultivation and / or processing of cannabis and derived products are ongoing. Release of information at this time would not reflect finalised information and could be detrimental to the process.