By Chisomo Phiri
Lilongwe South lawmaker Peter Dimba on Thursday afternoon presented a motion in parliament that seeks the legalisation of local cannabis cultivation in Malawi.
Presenting his motion, Dimba called for the Amendment of Cannabis Act to legalise the regulated cultivation, production and use of the locally produced variety.
The law maker also called for the Amendment of the Dangerous Drugs Act to push for proper regulation of the product.
According to Dimba, cannabis is an economic crop which can bring fortunes to the country, in terms of forex generation.
He said according to research, cannabis has capacity to generate 200 million dollars annually on starting and 700 million dollars once the cultivation of the crop stabilizes.
Various members of parliament supported Dimba’s motion.
Malawi has long been relying on tobacco cultivation, which accounts for about 13% of its gross domestic product and 60% of its foreign exchange earnings.
But over the years, tobacco prices have fallen, largely because of anti-smoking campaigns championed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the proven link between tobacco use and cancer.
