The list of African nations that are legalizing the production and export of Marijuana/cannabis for economic and medicinal purposes are growing. Attitudes towards the drug is gradually changing as investments in its medical benefits grow. The latest to join the list are Uganda and Zambia.
The first batches of medicinal marijuana will be exported from Uganda to Malta and Israel in March 2020. A partnership agreement was signed between Hemp Uganda and an Israeli firm, Together Pharma for growing medical marijuana at a factory in Hima Town in 2014.The factory spread over a land of 12.5 acres houses five greenhouses of marijuana weed and a processing factory. According to the company spokesperson of Hemp Uganda Limited, the facility will produce several different varieties of medical marijuana for the treatment of a number of health issues including skin ailments, chronic pain, epilepsy and cancer.
The approval for the export of cannabis was granted by Zambian government at a special cabinet meeting on Dec. 4 according to the spokesperson, Dora Siliya . Siliya added that the government had directed the ministry of health to coordinate the issuance of the necessary licences while a technical committee of ministers from various departments would draft guidelines.
Zambian opposition Green Party President Peter Sinkamba, who has been strongly recommending the move since 2013, said the decision could lead to $36 billion annual earnings transforming the Zambian economy. However, he cautioned that it could be a blessing or a curse, like diamonds and gold, depending on the policy direction. Zambia has been struggling with a bloating fiscal deficit and debt burden. The external debt that stood at $10.5 billion at the end of 2018 against $8.74 billion the previous year raised worries about a looming debt crisis. The situation was aggravated by bad weather that hit crop production and electricity generation
