Jamaica Dispensaries: Where the Licensed Herb Houses Are in 2026

196. That is how many licences the Cannabis Licensing Authority says it has issued, according to the counter on its website in September 2026. The Jamaica Observer reported in August that the CLA had registered 110 retailers. Yet a visitor who opens the CLA's own "Find a Store" map sees three pins.

The gap is not a sign that most shops are illegal. It reflects how little of the register the CLA publishes. This guide pulls together what the regulator does publish, explains what each retail licence lets a store do, and shows how to check a herb house yourself. For the wider rules on possession, smoking and airports, see our guide to Jamaica's ganja laws for visitors.

Three retail licences, three different visits

What you can do inside a herb house depends on which retail licence it holds. The CLA defines three.

Most of the stores on the published list hold the take-away licence. If you want to smoke where you buy, ask which licence the store holds; a sign saying "lounge" is not the same as a CLA consumption licence.

Stores on the regulator's lists, town by town

Two official sources exist: the new store finder at cla.gov.jm and the licensee table on the CLA's former site, last archived on 16 April 2026 before the site went offline. The new site's "Approved Licensees" page showed no list when Verdex checked. The table below combines the two sources, leaving out three older retail entries whose expiry dates had already passed (Haslam HG Enterprize and Mez Herbal in Kingston, Apollon Formularies in Negril). Status reflects the expiry date shown, not a site visit.

Well-known names are missing from both lists. Kaya Herb House, which opened its first herb house at Drax Hall in 2018 and now runs stores in Drax Hall, Ocho Rios, Falmouth and Kingston, does not appear in the archived table as a retail licensee, although two Kaya group companies (Island Kaya Farms and Kaya Extracts) are listed as cultivator and processor. The Jamaica Gleaner still described it in April 2026 as one of the larger licensees. Verdex profiles for these stores are on the Jamaica hub.

Checking a herb house before you pay

A licensed store has a paper trail. Five checks take a couple of minutes.

• Licence on the wall — the CLA licence should name the business, the retail category and an expiry date that has not passed.
• Name matches the address — compare it with the store finder at cla.gov.jm or the licensee table above.
• They ask for paperwork — licensed stores sell for medical, scientific and therapeutic purposes and, as Kaya's FAQ shows, ask for a recommendation, a medical card or the visitor permit. A seller who asks for nothing is a red flag.
• Quantity limit — Kaya's FAQ cites CLA regulations for a limit of 2 ounces per person, and the visitor permit is also capped at 2 ounces at a time.
• Consumption area matches the licence — on-site smoking only where the licence is the plain Herb House category.

What you need at the counter

1. Bring ID
   Herb houses sell to adults; Kaya's FAQ, for example, asks for a passport or driver's licence showing you are 18 or older.
2. Show your medical basis
   Residents bring a registered doctor's recommendation. Visitors bring a medical card from home or apply for the Ministry of Health non-resident permit, which can rest on a signed voluntary declaration; a fee applies.
3. Buy within the limit
   Up to 2 ounces at a time.
4. Plan where to use it
   At the store only if it holds a consumption licence; otherwise at a private residence. Streets, parks and other places open to the public count as public places.

Since the April 2026 amendments, licensed retailers may also deliver to customers. The CLA's announcements do not say how paperwork is checked on delivery, so ask the store what it needs. This page is general information, not legal advice.