The Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) says the Cultivator's (Transitional) Special Permit Policy, which is in an advanced stage of completion, will enable more small and subsistence farmers to access the opportunities available within the medicinal cannabis industry. Acting senior legal officer at the CLA, Sheldon Reid, in a JIS interview said that the special permit, which will last for two years, will allow farmers to continue to cultivate while they prepare to transition to licensing status. He noted that the cost of obtaining a licence is prohibitive for some small and subsistence farmers, and argued that the permit will provide another avenue for them to enter the legal sector.