Charge introduced for Guernsey residents who import medicinal cannabis

Islanders in Guernsey who pay for private prescriptions of medicinal cannabis, will have to pay an import fee from early next year.

This means that patients who receive Cannabis-based medicinal products from UK pharmacies, will be required to pay £25 for their importations.

The charge is being introduced following a decision made by the Committee for Health and Social Care, and will cover the costs of processing any controlled drug import licences.

Since licences have been granted to import cannabis-based products into the Bailiwick, Health and Social Care has not yet enforced a charge to cover the cost of processing these applications. 

However, anyone now with a private prescription must meet the costs charged for the private prescription consultation, the cannabis-based medication and shipment from the UK.

Last month two clinics announced they had opened business in the Bailiwick, providing patients with access to local specialist doctors to prescribe the medicinal products. With on-island pharmacies now able to dispense the local prescriptions for patients.