The opposition National Restoration Party (NAREP) has backed government not to legalise the cultivation of marijuana in the country.
NAREP Lusaka District Executive Vice Chairman, Frank Sichone, says marijuana is harmful and dangerous and legalising it would harm the people in society.
Mr Sichone says the country should look at other ways and means of increasing revenue in Zambia and not at the expense of the health of the people.
In a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today, Mr Sichone condemned the calls championed by Green Party president, Peter Sinkamba and his People’s Party counterpart, Mike Mulongoti, who have urged government to legalise the production and export of marijuana which has brought revenue in other countries that have legalised it.
“Our position as NAREP is that we condemn the legalisation of marijuana in this country.
Marijuana is harmful and dangerous and legalising it would harm the people in society very much,” he said.
Recently, Home Affairs Minister, Ngosa Simbyakula, reiterated during the commemorations of the World Anti-Drug Day in Lusaka that government will not legalise the use of cannabis in Zambia.
Dr Simbyakula said it would not be in the interest of the country to legalise recreational use of cannabis.
He said the debate on the legalisation of cannabis reflected the widespread misunderstanding of the adverse effects of drugs on an individual and the entire nation.
The minister said damages caused by cannabis were not just limited to users but also increased vulnerability, risk of traffic accidents and injuries including mental disorders.
He commended the Drug Enforcement Commission for its efforts in ridding Zambia of marijuana and other psychotropic substances by arresting the perpetrators of the vice.
The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) arrested 1,600 persons for drug trafficking countrywide in the second quarter of 2014.
DEC Public Relations Officer, Theresa Katongo, disclosed that 1,400 persons were arrested in the first quarter of 2014 and attributed the reduction to a joint operation that was conducted in Lusaka’s Chibolya area recently.
Ms Katongo said 59 of those arrested were male juveniles while 50 were foreign nationals.
She added that 416 persons have been convicted for various drug related offences while 1,000 cases are still pending in court.
She said the highest seizure recorded of cannabis was in Eastern Province and efforts have been scaled-up by the Commission.
I think it is a good idea to legalise ulubangula because this will de-congest the prisons and people will be able to make a living. Besides, this vegetable is very good for people with long term illnesses because it triggers appetite and there is scientific evidence to back this argument. Moreover, people who have used it and still using it have been able to get plenty of motivation to study, train and even concentrate- dagga should be legalised and they should users what they think. The argument that those who use dagga are criminals and that it causes people to go mad are misguided- In fact, alcohol is more dangerous than dagga.
Elias, we know you smoke grass we can see through your smoke screen.
It is really frightening when political parties such as NAREP decide to make such unreserached statements. Can NAREP give specific points as to why and how Marijuana is dangerous and harmful? Dangerous and harmful to who, the person who partakes of it or the society around him? Does NAREP have statistics as to how many people have died after taking Marijuana in whatever form or how much crime has been committed by people who have partaken of ONLY Marijuana? If NAREP are a party that encourages new thinking, why can’t they call for research and debate in this field rather than just accepting something imposed on us from colonial times?
Legalize it ! Alcohol has killed more people compared to marijuana.If you go to countries and cities where it is legal you can`t find a single marijuana addict or a psychiatric case attributed to its use.Our forefathers used the plant for generations until you got ideas from the western world to ban it.In parts of Malawi and Zambia marijuana is used to cure otitis media(ear infection),anthrax, dysentery, fevers and malaria.All this points to how beneficial this plant is.
I pray that only when peoples are recognized to have a formal control to say no and not to abuse something especially substances relating to drug would one hope/wish advocate that such a people cannot abuse the substance. Try taking a people for a drink and see how determined (1-10, 1 means extremely less control); ganja needs even more control, because it has been known to be a powerful drug abused
” Marijuana is harmful and dangerous and legalising it would harm the people in society very much,” he said. ”
Like where?
How many people have died of a marijuana overdose, and how many have been killed by alcohol?
How much legal procedure and jailspace is wasted on non-violent cannabis ‘offenders’, so that violent criminals and thieves can go free, or are released early? And how does this not make society more violent, rather than safer?
There should be entire industries based on hemp – making clothes, rope, shoes, cars (google: ford hemp car youtube). Hemp seeds are the most nutricious food, better than soy. And cannabis leaves can be made into potions or eaten as vegetables that have great health benefits.
You do realise that while marijuana and industrial hemp are in the same family, they are different ka? The latter does not contain the same amount of THC as the former…the amount of THC might be as low as 10%. Marijuana is bad for you and we want to bring it into our country on a ‘legal’ platform while looking at the benefits of hemp.
Just legalise “MBANJE” chapwa.
(MULYABAYUNI, lubanje or Ibangula)
Such immaculate names shows that the natural herb has been in use for generation by our fore fathers.
In Zambia the most productive tribes such as the Tonga, Easterners and others have used the Herb for a right purpose. it motivated them to be courageous,innovative, hard working, and above all united their communities.
It was the colonial masters and their (missionary) who brought this misunderstandings and propaganda in (churches and law) so that they could introduce the capitalistic breweries. They have made us to believe that alcohol is is good for the society than our own Lubanje.
Shame indeed. How much harm has beer drinking cause to society? only a blind colonial follower would condemn legalization of Marijuana.
But time will come!!!!!
Iyo, i think we have resounding support for legalising Dobo! i too add my voice and say, “we legalise!”