Weed is becoming one of the world’s growing and top business, Africa, a land filled with fertile soil could easily dominate the sector as one of the top growers but has been slow to capitalize on this, not anymore as Zimbabwe joins Lesotho becoming the second African country to legalise marijuana for medical and scientific purposes.
Africa is second only to the Americas in terms of production and consumption of marijuana, according to the United Nations’ 2017 World Drug Report.
Dr David Parirenyatwa, the country’s health minister, said in a government notice that individuals and businesses would be able to apply for licences to cultivate cannabis for medicinal or scientific use. The five-year licences will also clear growers to possess, transport and sell fresh cannabis, cannabis oil, and dried product, Production and possession of marijuana, known as Mbanje or Dagga in southern Africa, was previously punishable by up to 12 years in jail. Recreational use will remain illegal, Telegraph reports.
These are the licensing fees set by the government for medicinal Cannabis/Ganja.
All Ganjamen have to carry on with their current Ganja supply arrangements as this will be a costly pursuit even if it were licensed for recreational purposes. @matigary @ZimMediaReview pic.twitter.com/zUOIgcG4K5
— Hopewell Chin’ono (@daddyhope) April 30, 2018
Zimbabwe is a top exporter of tobacco in southern Africa already, with the legalization of weed, the economy will feel a positive impact on what’s estimated to be a 10 billion dollar business by 2020. This is a positive step for all medical and recreational users of marijuana in Zimbabwe, we’d only expect other African countries to see reason in this and hop on the wave.
