The Parliament has passed a motion of a Bill that seeks to amend the Cannabis Regulation Act (No. 6 of 2020) in order to allow for the proper regulation of the locally produced variety of Cannabis Sativa, popularly known as Chamba.
The Bill also seeks to iron out other operational challenges currently being met by the industry, in the production of cannabis.
Member of Parliament for Lilongwe South, Peter Dimba said he was influenced to table the bill after noting a number of shortfalls to the Cannabis Regulation Act since it was enacted and came into operation back in 2020.
“Iam excited that this afternoon the house has supported and passed this motion”,Dimba told the Media at the Parliament.
He added “Basically we are trying to legitimize the controlled growing of the local variety of cannabis because if you recall, in 2018 when we passed the Cannabis Regulation Act we did not include the local variety known as Malawi Gold which has the huge value on international market”
However, Dimba believes the legalization of the local variety will be key to the transformation of the country’s economy.
“Studies revealed that if we legalize the cultivation of our local variety we will be able to generate 200 million US Dollars per year and if the industry grows to maturity, we will be able to earn as much as 700 Million US Dollars which is more than double to what we get from selling tobacco” he added
He further proposed that as a control measure, the eligibility to cultivate, produce and sell should only be given to only properly licenced people and that the legalization only be for industrial and medicinal use not smoking purposes.
One of those who supported the motion, Mangochi South West Constituency legislator Shadric Namalomba said it’s high time the industry should start benefiting villagers.
“When the bill was tabled we all supported because this is an opportunity to end poverty. When the local Cannabis is going to be grown, the local farmers will be licensed to grow through cooperatives which will be much beneficial to their lives unlike now when it only favours bigger farmers”, said Namalomba
