Health Minister Dr. Chitalu Chilufya has said that his ministry has no intention of issuing any license to allow the cultivation of Marijuana for medicinal purposes.
Dr. Chitalu told parliament in a ministerial statement that following a statement issued earlier this year by Home Affairs Minister Steven Kampyongo that the law provides for the cultivation of marijuana for medicinal purposes, his ministry has been overwhelmed with applications from people seeking licenses.
Dr. Chilufya says despite the fact that marijuana can be used for medicinal purposes, his ministry has no intentions at the moment of issuing Marijuana Cultivation licenses due to its impact on human health and social areas.
Dr. Chitalu explained that while marijuana is used for chronic pain conditions, nausea patients, epilepsy and other common conditions, there are other drugs available on the market that can treat the same ailments that medical marijuana can treat.
Dr. Chitalu said that the alternatives on the market are even safer compared to using medicinal marijuana.
Dr. Chitalu added that there was no good and convincing reason why the government can give out marijuana cultivation licenses when there are other alternatives to using medicinal marijuana.
WHEN “LOCAL TERRORISM” IS “STATE TERRORISM”
Is there anyone smoking marijuana at state house these days?
Maybe only chibuku drinkers.
Comment: We have a very dull minister! Its not just about its use for medical purposes but also how much the country can make by exporting it. We can make much more than we are from copper. We meex leaders who can think outside the box.
Is this not that doctor who has retired young doctors on tribal lines? It is such backward thinking that impedes development in Zambia. Even the remedies he is talking about are not Zambian. We have to wait for other countries to discover medicines and we wait to import everything. A progressive answer would have been coming up with a team of researchers to look at the possible good side of this God-given herb and seed. Anyway we’ll issue licenses when a better government is in place. Freedom to research must not be stifled by political bigotry! Stop being partisan and operate like an intellectual!
Health Minister is an ignorant bastard.
Yes he is really ignorant, he is stopping us from growing chamba sure!