27th February 2020, M’dyomba. Ah! The day Malawi should never forget for our great nation took a bold step into the right direction. A giant leap into the future. Welcome to the modern world Nyasaland!
Why am I excited? On this Thursday, Malawi’s Minister of
Agriculture, Honourable Kondwani Nankhumwa tabled Bill No. 5: Cannabis
Regulation, which was passed (with amendments) by Parliament after going
through all the stages. Once it becomes law, this act will, among others:
– Establish the Cannabis Regulatory Authority (CRA) which will be responsible
for licensing and regulating medicinal and industrial hemp programmes in the
country. The CRA will grant licences to cultivate, process, store, sell, export
and distribute cannabis and industrial hemp.
As you may already be aware M’dyomba, currently, our burley leaf makes up 6.6%
of the world’s tobacco exports. Tobacco is Malawi’s main export accounting for
55% of total exports. It’s basically our economy’s backbone but unfortunately
this is an industry that’s in decline.
Among other things, the decline in the number of people smoking cigarettes across the globe is due to the fact that the 21st century is seeing an increased awareness of the impacts of cigarettes on consumer health, with research indicating that smoking is linked to cancer and other health issues.
Government thought it wise to ‘wean’ our economy off of tobacco and find other alternatives. Hence, this bill M’dyomba, that has just been passed.
Malawi now joins other players in the industrial hemp and medicinal marijuana industry. Last year, the global industrial hemp market size was estimated at US$ 4.71 billion. The market is driven by the growing demand for hemp oil and fibers in the automotive, construction, food and beverage, personal care, and textile industries.
Rising demand for oil based paints, varnishes, printing inks, fuel, solvents, chain-saw lubricants, putty, and coatings is expected to further propel its demand.
In addition, growth in the investment for the production of hemp-based products is expected to drive the market growth further.
Yes Baba, zonsezi nkhani yake chamba. Hemp seeds and oilcakes
are used in the food and beverage industry as an alternative source of food and
feed protein. The oil obtained from crushed seeds is used in soap, lotions,
shampoo, bath gels, and cosmetics.
On the other hand, the global medical marijuana market is poised to grow by US$
22.33 billion by the year 2024. As compared to recreational cannabis (chamba
mumasuta mukumwa mowachi), medical cannabis has a lower amount of THC and a
higher count of CBD which provides therapeutic advantages to patients and aids
in retaining anti-psychotic effects.
You see M’dyomba, this plant-based drug is gradually gaining acceptance in the
pharmaceutical industry (once again thank you Malawi!) as it also helps in
treating mood disorders, immune function and vascular health.
It is now used for curing anxiety, nausea, depression, chronic pain and side effects of multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease. It is prescribed in different forms like vapor, oral capsules, topical solutions, creams and balms.
As you can see through the examples above, unlike tobacco,
whose demand is in the decline, hemp can be used to make several other
essential products. So, by cultivating and exporting it, Malawi will not just
be one market industry but a lot more and in the future, if the right
investments in technology and infrastructure are made, the value addition can
be done right within our borders, thereby helping in diversifying the range of
goods produced by the nation.
Now do you see why I’m so excited M’dyomba? This aligns well with His
Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika’s vision of economically
transforming Malawi from a predominantly consuming and importing to a
predominantly producing and exporting country. Our great nation is definitely
on the right path.
Now, one last thing M’dyomba, please tell anzanu osusuka aja kuti they need to take note of the following under the new Cannabis Regulation (yet to become) Law:
– Cultivating, processing, or distributing cannabis in contravention of the law will be an offense liable to a fine of K50, 000, 000.00 (I bet you’ve never seen so many zeros in front of MWK before) and imprisonment for 25 years. Yup. FIFTY MILLION KWACHA.
– Refusing to produce documentation, making false statements will be an offense liable to a fine of K10 million and imprisonment for five years.
Now let me go take back my Munda so that I don’t get left behind. Mmera mpoyamba!
Masile Une Wawo,
Mdyomba Che Ambute.
