Monday, December 30, 2024

Zambia to consider legalising Marijuana for Medicinal Purposes – Health Minister

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Minister of Health, Hon Dr Chitalu Chilufya
Minister of Health, Hon Dr Chitalu Chilufya

Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya has announced Government’s intention to put into consideration the legalisation of Marijuana for Medicinal Purposes.

Briefing the Press at Ndeke House last evening, the Minister stated that Government had been receiving unsolicited proposals for licences to cultivate Marijuana for Medicinal use.

“We have received unsolicited proposals for licences for cultivating Marijuana for Medicinal Purposes. Our position as Government remains consistent. Like I presented in Parliament. Government will only consider issuance of such licences for Medicinal use, there being evidence and assurance that there is an encrypted process from cultivation to the point were the product is being used for Medicinal Purposes without triggering any spike in the recreational use of Marijuana,” he said.

He stated that there had been an emerging body of evidence with regards the use of Medicinal Marijuana.

“We have Countries that have legalized Medicinal Marijuana. Zambia ponders this use of Medicinal Marijuana based on the conditions that I stipulated in my Ministerial statement.” He said .

The Minister of Health revealed that to this effect, a multi-sectoral team had been constituted that would go as far as undertaking study tours in jurisdictions where protected processes from the land to the lab to the Facility, where Medicinal Marijuana was being utilised, was done.

“The Multi-sectoral team shall inform the steps to take . Our position remains the same. That illegal utilisation of Marijuana will not be condoned. DEC and Zambia Police will continue to Police and mate out appropriate punishment to anyone who uses Marijuana illegally.” he said .

He stated that of importance was to note that the laws had not changed and that the multi-sectoral body would study what was happening in other jurisdictions and in line with what was stated in the provisional of the broad statement in Parliament, processes would be looked at that were encrypted from the farm to the point of utilization,” he said.

“To this effect, all the proposals we have received will pend what will be informed by our multi-sectoral team and any emerging evidence, ” said the Minister in conclusion.

65 COMMENTS

    • Dont do it

      Just because someone has done it doesnt mean we should

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    • Just because the Americans have decided to lead the way. Shame on us. Not too long ago we were arresting people who were engaged in trafficking marijuana. When are we ever going to grow and stop following blindly the leadership of those we once despised?

    • 4000 years ago, the Chinese realised the medical benefits of this herb. It is also used to fight depression.

      The problem is that PF under Lungu will have monopoly of cultivation and distribution. They are modern day gangsters. They are thieves, and are corrupt.

    • Useless government. Apa peve mwaitaya! You have no mechanism to monitor this. Secondly, this is an ‘also me’ syndrome. Ichamba has always been condemned. PF, then it’s ok for Charmaine to stand in Chilanga seat. Kaili we shall legalize marijuana!!

    • He doesnt respond but keeps on stealing and we are just watching him destroying the country. Can’t the ACC and concourt please help?

    • Dontcare – so what mechanism is there to monitor beer when Zambia Breweries is the most profitable company in the land!!

    • Smoking is the worst hazard to children.
      Marijuana has tremendous medicinal value and in moderate administered use it is the best mood upliftment (anti depressant).

      World is changing laws with scientific backup and Zambia is right on keeping rational observance and implementation.

    • IndigoTyrol – Knowing corrupt PF, Chilufya, Lazy Lungu and KZ they have already found a method to launder their stolen loot….their proxy firms are already on the list of medicinal marijuana farmers as they have finished all the Mukula Trees.

    • Where are those deluded PF nincompoops…you have always been against this; you called Peter Sinkamba… Chamba man, Chamba boy weed man and all sorts…laughed at him that he was high as a kite… right here on LT …why dont you post something about your GP Dr Chilufya…the so called brains in PF …really laughable.
      This is the problem with being a cadre who follows blindly like a dog on a leash …even when left on the middle of the road you just sit there and wait….use your heads, God gave you two eyes infront of your brain and two eyes for a reason.
      Wake up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • They are desperate for Money and now this is their best next solution Sinkamba had proposed this to them but they initially laughed it off. Now they are in a fix to sort out financial issues facing the GRZ

    • Drug taking opens doors to demonisation. Rebuke any sickness in the mighty name of Jesus if you are believer like me, Jesus can fix any illness.

    • Marijuana has always been an essential part of African herbal medicine. I have used it before. It does not involve smoking. The problem in Zambia is that social scientists are very loud mouthed and will never concede ignorance.
      They don’t know the medical value of marijuana but are getting ready to tax it. Agricultural yields are going down because of climate change but they are unwilling to allow GMOs until people start rioting because of hunger.

  1. Good move …always the last one to join the party due to shortsighted leaders; when we have been writing about this for years…Sinkamba proposed this in his campaign..you laughed at him, called him names, these selfsame people..now you have no money that’s when you start thinking. This is why I say Zambia today is experiencing what I call WASTED YEARS time we will never recover. Look at Zimbabwe give it a few years and they will surpass us again.

  2. This is proof that we follow the wind wherever it leads. We dare not have taken this direction had it not been for the fact America and other countries have decided to take the lead.

    • Marijuana was used to treat illnesses by ancient cultures long before the white man started abusing it…the proof you follow everything blindly is there in front of you and its called religion.

  3. Not just for medicinal purposes but a whole range of industrial uses should be exploited. But I guess we can’t do it on our own. We have to wait for the powers that be to lead the way

    • That’s why I like the Malawians they don’t waste time already ripping the rewards from Malawi Gold, which is an extremely rare Sativa marijuana strain. This energetic strain will leave you feeling focused and mentally uplifted – if they can find it. Malawi Gold is perhaps the rarest cannabis strain in the world.

    • Kikikikiki … yaba!!! They really need to add Jay Jay to this technical team. It will be very help for them. He seems to have practical knowledge highly desirable at reaching a faster objective system of implementation.

      Jay Jay … now that’s a compliment from me which in your case you know is rare from me to you. Take it with a pinch of salt.

      Jay Jay for Senior Consultant the multi-sectorial team, everyone. He’s a repertoire of information on Ganja. What say you, Nostra???

  4. Long overdue. It has long been been known in many traditional societies that marijuana is used for treating some forms of pain and some ear infections among other ailments. Our people started hiding after Muzungu declared it illegal during colonial days. Marijuana is no different from other drugs such as morphine which are useful but can be abused. There’s need for more research by scientists.

    • People have been brainwashed to the point where they don’t ask …questions? Dutch millionaires are constantly flying to Malawi to buy seeds so the can replicate the herb in their Green houses in Holland…imagine they Malawian commercial farmers themselves grew it and exported it legally…you have to think two steps ahead..

  5. You remember about licenses for the small timers gold diggers? Who has the licenses for gold mining? Now just wait and hear the conditions and who will be cultivating this special herb before you clap your hands, the foreigners as investors. Marijuana is a very easy plant to grow, no much capital, only land is required but of course only the foreigners deserve to make money in our own and only land.

    • The problem with our people is they don’t want to do things that require a bit reading and substantial market research …you simply want to buy a truck or a Toyota minibus and put on the road not thinking “global”…do you know that Ginseng is a highly profitable crop in the World today? Now ..to you this is pointless unless you have a market, this is where you need to use your brains….even growing Tomatoes for Shoprite, Choppers is a challenging task but you are the first ones to complain about produce being imported from RSA.

  6. GREEN PARTY SINKAMBA IS VINDICATED WATCH THE SPACE WE NEED TO PUT THIS SINKAMBA BOY TO STATE HOUSE IN 2021 HE IS FULL OF WISDOM NOT ONLY ON VYAMBA ISSUES BUT eSWATINI NKANDLA OF ZAMBIA, SOVEREIGN GUARANTEES BEING SIGNED FROM STATE HOUSE , LUSAKA NDOLA DOUBLE TOBELA ROAD AH THE BOY TALKS SENSE I APPEAL TO ALL ZAMBIANS TO START FOLLOWING HIM AND MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS IN 2021 DONT JUST BRUSH HIM OFF PAY ATTENTION SIRs to his write ups

    • The daft Lazy Lungu already told you he didn’t have a vision ….really laughable…if you hire a Bus driver who tells at the interview that he will take you to your destination but he has neither a PSV licence nor is familiar with bus model would you blame him if he crashes?

    • Sinkamba is one of the few Zambian politicians with a functioning brain. I am not sure what to make of most others? I rest my case.

  7. I have been called all kinds of names for calling for legalising of medicinal marijuana by PF empty tins/ dingbats and demented bible bashing fooooools right here on LT over the last 10 years…look at the govt playing catching now!!

  8. @JJ is the most empty tin that makes big HaNoise, I have ever seen! Has Prof. Hansoni written Harm nest already?

  9. Is alcohol not a drug,does tobacco cause cancer ? If we’re to name what is harmful the list is endless. Today marijuana is in Avery street of this country easly accessed. Bars yena you can’t even talk about them. We are in the 21st century use what ever resource is available to earn money. It is a God given naturals resource.Does it make sense Keenan to buy medicines made out of marijuana from Israel so expensively when we can produce and possibly make the medicines out of it? Country men and women let’s utilise this resource when other countries especially African are still sleeping.The key is to strengthen monitoring institutions chapwa.

  10. Whoever is thinking of this! please don’t do it. We love our country, leave that madness to other countries. you have failed to provide jobs to people and now you want to confuse them more, God forbid !!

  11. I like the point from Nostra 1.4 above. true we need to guard against abuse, but what should we police – the intake ( alcohol, marijuana) or the behaviour of the after effects? Indeed, which one is easier to control?

  12. A government with no ability to act on it’s own initiative is not fit to govern at all.

    The countries that legalized herb for medical purposes arrived at that decision after exhausting several other alternatives for their citizens to cure diseases like cancer. What have we done for the health care of our citizens for us to start proposing herbal medicine as an alternative for them?

  13. Another 2020 accurate prediction!
    On this forum I recently stated Zimbabwe has started issuing licences at USD 50,000 for strict medicinal and export uses snd that other nations such as Rwanda, Uganda and South Africa were already exporting or revising legislation to begin the export for medicinal uses. Israel and many European nations are buying medicinal cannabis for the treatment of all kinds of cancer such as prostrate, brain, colon etc The amount of funds we can make are in the USD billions! But if we are late and the market becomes saturated from the exports of other countries mentioned above then it will not be so profitable. Timing is of the essence! Ba Sinkamba said it when you dull cretins laughed at him! Green Party for 2021!

  14. The largest consumer of marijuana and aphrodisiacs are the Ngoni. Mu si mu Ngoni aliye mbanje na mutototo. At N’cwala they smoke and indulge in sex openly. If want don’t watch adult movies at N’cwala you’ll see them and unsolicited

  15. Amongst the top 30 weed smoking countries in he world, Zambia is ranked number 10 with 9.5% of population being smokers. Are Zambians in denial?

  16. The home affairs minister once said that cultivation of marijuana for medicinal purposes was legal in Zambia. What was surprising was that the ministry of Health refused to grant Mr. Sinkamba the permit as a law abiding citizen to grow the herb.

    The fact that it remains illegal will make it more expensive and that perpetuate corruption.

    There is good money

    • Actually
      Dr Chilufya had committed contempt of court. According to Sunday Nation of today, Sinkamba sued Chilufya and the matter is active in the Court of Appeal. He has advised Attorney General to tame Chilufya or else he will get cited for contempt of court. Chilufya is a liability to government. The earlier Lungu purges him, the better

  17. The American Journal of Medicine published a report detailing the benefits derived from the use of medical marijuana . Some of the benefits are as follows:(a) to treat pets of arthritis, pain and inflammation and can be useful for calming dogs with bad behaviour, (b) for increasing sex drive, (c) useful for treating nightmares, will induce a good night’s sleep and leave the user in a sublime state of euphoria, also to cope with nightmares and insomnia, (d) stop and prevent epileptic seizures, and have the ability to reduce muscle spasms caused by epilepsy within seconds. Lastly and indeed not the least, the Veterans who are adjusting to life after returning from military service suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are prescribed medical cannabis.

  18. Chilufyanya the Liability! What has changed now? Not long ago you said this won’t happen. Have you consulted all stakeholders this time to come up with a credible Framework on how this will work? Take note that a lot of Zambians are already abusing this weed! Sadly RTSA only tests for alcohol and not for this weed in urine. Blanket legalization will be very dangerous! A person under the influence of weed is more dangerous than a legally drunk one! Tread carefully on this one!

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  20. Jay we have no capacity to deal with issues that arise from the misuse of such a drug. The drug might be legalized in some parts of the U.S you go to those places like Colorado and everyone looks like a zombie high on this substance and addicted to it. We don’t want to bring addiction to our already impoverished people

  21. Do it fast. Dobo will save Zambia from Kaloba. But remember to create a position for Sinkamba – Minister of High Value Agriculture. We really need this.

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