Cannabis: Shangula dismisses legalisation talks

The health ministry has ruled out the legalisation of the commercial cultivation of cannabis for medical purposes in Namibia on the grounds that effective treatments already exist.Minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula said the country sees no need to legalise cannabis for pain management treatments as the current stock of drugs administered intramuscularly or intravenously is effective. “We have enough medication that works,” he said.

This came after Cabinet in 2022 tasked the ministry with investigating whether there is demand for cannabis for medicinal purposes and what health risks are associated with its consumption.

In South Africa, president Cyril Ramaphosa signed into power the Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill last Tuesday, legalising the private consumption of cannabis. While this law has come into effect, the trade in cannabis remains prohibited.

Over the past five years, nine other African countries have passed laws legalising the cultivation of cannabis for medicinal and scientific purposes. These include Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, Ghana, Eswatini, Rwanda and Morocco. The South African government estimated that hemp cultivation and production has the potential to create 25 000 jobs.

Cannabis is believed to have numerous medical benefits, including that it can be used in the treatment of cancer, HIV-AIDS, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, headaches, anorexia and schizophrenia.