Work on a new medicinal cannabis farm located in Dumfries and Galloway, an administrative centre in the Scottish lowlands, has been given funding following a public development agency investment.
Photo: David Amián Valle
The South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) invested in the farm, which has been set up by Hilltop Leaf Ltd, a private firm registered last year specialising in the cultivation and extraction of the herb.
The £690,000 (€774,000) capital grant will be used to build the 11,000 square-metre facility on a rural site.
The enterprise hopes the new endeavour would help create as many as 50 jobs in the region.
Medicinal marijuana use was legalised in Scotland and the rest of the UK in November 2018 following several high-profile cases of children suffering from epilepsy having their symptoms reduced from using cannabis oil.
Aside from epilepsy, there is also medical evidence to suggest that use of cannabis can cure chronic pain, including back pain, migraines, soothing for movement disorders or even as a treatment for cancer or AIDS patients.
The Scottish company will primarily be providing the drug in the form of cannabinoid oils, APIs and other cannabis-based medical product to the European market.
Work on the new facility is expected to be complete by March 2021, despite the challenges presented by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Hilltop Leaf CEO Hamish Clegg told the BBC that the investment from the SOSE provided an "early risk capital" and paved the way for future investments.
He added: "We aim to provide an affordable and widely available solution to patients suffering from a range of conditions from chronic pain to severe epilepsy, easing pressure on the NHS."
"We hope to rival other countries such as Canada, Germany, and Israel where the medical cannabis industry is already well established."
Professor Russel Griggs, the chairman of SOSE, said: "We are delighted to provide support to Hilltop at their early growth stage of this pioneering medicinal business.
"This is an exciting project and offers a fantastic opportunity for Hilltop to help the rural economy of Dumfries and Galloway by creating local jobs and supporting existing businesses."
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