Medical cannabis dispensary Epican Jamaica returned with a bang on Wednesday (June 15), unveiling a new suite of exclusive marijuana strains found nowhere else on the island.

With a laid-back, chill atmosphere, even inclement weather could not put a damper on Epican’s triumphant reintroduction to marijuana enthusiasts across the Corporate Area.

Greeted with the signature line of “peace and blessings”, Epican hostesses treated media practitioners to a short but frenzied affair, surrounded by loyal customers, influencers and staff of the five-year-old entity.

To much fanfare at its flagship Market Place outlet on Constant Spring Road, president and co-founder Dwayne McKenzie said Epican was quietly working on a product revamp for a couple of years.

Now, with the waning COVID-19 pandemic and nagging Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) woes firmly behind Epican, the ‘cosmic alignment’ for something big was perfectly timed.

“As you know, Epican has always been the trendsetters from the beginning of the industry. And the main reason why we continue to do that is for the possibility of what the future can look like for this industry, not just for Epican,” began the Epican boss.

“The vision is not just for a local entity to survive but for us to have ‘brandability’ that can be recognised at an international level; the significance of our culture, our intellectual property—owned and operated by us and appreciated by the whole world—that’s the vision we’ve had from the get-go until now,” he said.

Flanked by dancehall star Aidonia, and an expanding cadre of fresh-faced brand ambassadors, McKenzie unveiled Epican’s revamped line of indica, sativa and hybrid strains, secured through a partnership with the world-famous cannabis breeders out of northern California.

“We’ve been waiting for about two years now to roll out this actual launch [by] bringing certain strains to Jamaica that have never been here before in its authentic state. Some of these strains are well-rounded and sought after around the world,” said McKenzie, explaining the rationale behind Epican’s 13 new strains.

Epican’s 13 new strains are Runtz, Blue Dream, Platinum Girl Scout Cookies, Gorilla Glue #4, Zkittlez, Apple Fritter, Gelatti Cookies, Big Apple, Gelato 41, Gelato 33, Premium Jack Herer, Super Soul Diesel and Biscotti.

In addition to the new varieties at customers’ disposal, Epican also boasts eight other strains as well as its popular CDB and THC oils, tinctures, vape pens (rechargeable or disposable) and other paraphernalia to suit every taste and need.

Guests were treated to a live performance by dancehall maverick Teejay as Epican’s handed out select samples of its exclusive line of cannabis strains to newly minted ambassadors Alaina and Alyssia Tsang.

The Tsang sisters also form a critical part of Epican’s return, as the company has dived head-first into branded apparel.

For his part, Dr Norman Dunn, state minister in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, congratulated Epican on its milestone achievement at a time when demand for high-quality, medical-grade cannabis continues to grow in Jamaica and the wider globe.

“It is heartwarming to see that a relatively new company, from just five years ago, already making strides in the market. [Epican is] clearly taking advantage of the uptick in demand for cannabis products. According to industry sources, the global cannabis market is projected to grow from $28 billion in 2021 to over $100 billion in 2028,” the minister noted.

With this in mind, the ministry has industry development for cannabis high on its key priorities, with several measures fast-tracked to foster and boost its potential for growth and innovation.

“We are aware of the long-standing issues that continue to stymie the development of the local medicinal cannabis industry, some of which include the processing and securing of approvals locally, lack of a regime to allow doctors to recommend cannabis products, need for revision of the interim regulations, and lack of access to financing and banking services,” added Dunn.

Arguing that Jamaica “does not have a monopoly” on marijuana, Dunn said there is room for improvement with cannabis export promotion and market access, and facilitating the limited inclusion of traditional small-scale marijuana farmers, which also rank highly on the ministry’s urgent prioritisation radar.