WHY THE INERTIA?
IT is quite clear that the euphoria that greeted the gov ernment’s decision last year to legalise the cultivation of marijuana for medicinal use is slowly leading to frus trations among stakeholders.
The inertia that has characterised the actualisation of the cannabis trade is simply mind boggling when one considers that this is a billion-dollar industry.
And for a country that is choking on its external for eign debt, and even defaulting on some payments, the government should have been super active to ensure that the programme takes off the ground.
No wonder that farmers have expressed concern at the delay in the signing and commencement of the Cannabis and Hemp Acts of 2021.
And for its side, the Zambian Hemp Growers and Industries Association (ZamHemp) has advised the government to expedite the matter.
The new dawn administration cannot claim ignorance over this programme because the bills were presented and passed in Parliament when it was in the opposition.
We hope the project is not being delayed because it is perceived to be a Patriotic Front brainchild.
This was a government initiative and whoever takes over the reins of government is supposed to continue from where the previous administration left.
We agree with ZamHemp president, Peter Sinkamba who said Government must stop going in circles and ensure that the process was expedited to allow for the cultivation and marketing of the economic spinner.
As recently as last month, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Director Policy and Planning, Ms Peggy Mulewa in an article that the regulations to govern the production of Marijuana would soon be announced as progress has been made.
Mr. Sinkamba was happy to note that the director ac knowledged that the bill was already assented to, but wondered why the government was being slow to ac tualise the Act.
The Cannabis Act No. 33 of 2021 and Industrial Hemp Act No. 34 of 2021 were assented to by former President, Edgar Lungu on May 19, 2021.
It should be noted that a number of African countries are tapping into the lucrative marijuana market, legal ising and relaxing laws on cannabis in the continent.
From Uganda to Zimbabwe, there is growing interest in this valuable crop through exports following years of resistance, mostly from religious groups opposed to the drug’s legalisation.
Most countries have relaxed laws against cannabis growing and selling, joining the bandwagon of those nations that have decriminalised marijuana for medical purposes.
According to United Nations estimates, more than 10, 000 tons of cannabis is produced across the African continent each year. This is likely to add billions of dol lars to the value of the global market for legal cannabis.
The international market for legal marijuana is ex pected to reach $73.6 billion by 2027, with medicinal marijuana set to make up more than two-thirds of that, according to a February 2020 report by Grand View Research.
Grand View Research says cannabis production is anticipated to expand at an annual rate of 18.1 percent during the forecast period.
The report also emphasises the potential of cannabis “for treating severe medical conditions, such as can cer, arthritis, and Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease among other neurological conditions.”
Zambia legalised marijuana production for export in December 2019, while Lesotho was the first African country to legalise cannabis, in 2017, for medicinal purposes.
Yet, Lesotho has since implemented marijuana culti vation, while Zambia, as Mr Sinkamba noted, is moving in circles.
The time to act is now than lose out in the long term.