Green Party President Peter Sinkamba says it is frustrating for his party to see more countries legalise medical use of cannabis when Zambia has repeatedly ignored calls to take the same route.
Thailand has become the latest country to legalise medical use of cannabis after its legislature agreed to amend the law to allow the medical use of cannabis.
Mr. Sinkamba says the arrogance of Ignorance among government officials is costing Zambia revenue which it would have been earning through export of cannabis.
He noted with most countries now legalising marijuana for medical use, Zambias chances of earning more money through export are reducing as most developed countries will now be producing the drug on their own.
” It is frastrating that more countries, developed countries for that matter are seeing value in what we have been calling for for the last five years when our own government is ignoring us. Mines are refusing to pay tax today and with cannabis exports this cant be an issue for Zambia”, He said.
Mr. Sinkamba said the high poverty levels being seen in the country can be a thing of the past if medicinal use of cannabis is legalised as the country can generate billions of dollars through exports.
Lesotho, Zimbabwe and South Africa are among nations that have legalised cannabis for either medical or recreational use.
What is even worse is that the DEA continues arresting poor villagers found with cannabis. Let them turn a blind eye to these activities.
“Lesotho, Zimbabwe and South Africa are among nations that have legalised cannabis for either medical or recreational use.”
Is poverty in these Countries the thing of the past?
“….Is poverty in these Countries the thing of the past?..”
No , it not in the past but poor peasants can now earn money and send kids to school instead of being arrested…
As a Green Party member what is also frustrating is to see you Baba go on about this issue when there are equally a lot more pressing matters, take for example our pathetic prison conditions, our repressive judicial and penal system (of which your argument falls within), unethical use of public funds by top govt officers to support their lavish lifestyles -luxury Suvs, high allowances and salary increments etc.
Of all the opposition figures you at least touch on some of these subjects (which is why I support you) but you can and should do more to address more issues affecting all not just you.
@Spaka,
I support the idea to legalize marijuana for medical use. But it’s the same sharks who will benefit more than the ordinary person that You and Me are fighting for. Just wait when it comes to making the laws, the so-called peasant farmer will be downplayed by commercial farmers.
My point is that the statement that “high poverty levels being seen in the country can be a thing of the past….” is overstated.
Why does this idi@t continue receiving publicity? No better ideas in all of Zambia
Legalizing marijuana is not the answer to our economic problems. In fact, it may add to the problems. As the Dutch Prime minister said recently, legalizing cannabis comes with a huge demand on mental health services, which are unfortunately not developed here. Second, as Obama rightly observed, if you cannot manage or tax copper properly that is mined in tons, how can you manage cannabis sustainably and make money out of it?
This one issue politics is dangerous. Yes, there are proved scientifically health benefits of using marijuana but there also disadvantages as people with mental health can easily trip and become insane. There is need to be cautious. Cannabis can grow anywhere and legalizing in Zambia wont be a silver bullet to our problems. Our poverty is as a result of a…
Our poverty is a cocktail of failed economic policies compounded by greedy and corrupt politicians interested only in fattening themselves, a docile and divided citizens that worship thieves, unfavorable global politics rooted in racism, greedy and corrupt multinational companies that avoid taxes, climate change to name but a few.
Yes, it is frustrating that whilst a growing number of countries are legalising the cultivation of marijuana for entertainment and medicinal use, Zambia is letting the opportunity of taking advantage of this slip through her fingers. But, your article would have been more informative by giving examples of countries outside Africa and within the continent that are taking the lead in this and the purposes for which they are legalising the use of marijuana. Not so many people are well informed about the massive benefits of marijuana. You would also do well as a green party to also campaign against the attempt to set up a nuclear plant in Chongwe. This is an issue green parties world wide are known for and for which they are winning popularity. Your mature approach to national issues also…
Your mature approach to national issues, Mr. Sinkamba also places you in good stead to win over more Zambian voters in coming years.
It’s seems to me ,mududu is the only thing on sinkamba’s mind, after he told us that he was born in namwala, i expected him to speak more on how this country will revamp the beef industry and surpass our neighboring Botswana,
Beef? Of what value is beef? What sustains Botswana is diamond not beef. He says mududu is worth $36 billion. Beef in Namwala can never generate more than $100million. The land cannot simply allow
@Zedoc, I concur with you. The Green Party leader is very objective on national issues. He gives credit where it is due and when he criticizes, he does so rationally and respectively and offers alternative solutions. As regard to the argument on mental illnesses, this argument is neither here nor there. Google and you will find out that Zambia is the second highest country in the world on cannabis abuse. According to the World Health Organization, 15% of Zambians abuse cannabis. Are you telling me that 15% of Zambians have mental illnesses? Or is 15% of the national budget spent consumed on mental health? The answer is no. In fact if you check the 2019 budget less than 0.001% has been budgeted for mental health. So the mental health argument lacks a theoretical justification
In fact, the mental health justification also lacks imperical evidence. Take for instance Eastern Province where DEC usually hauls thousands of tonnes of cannabis every year, how many nental cases do we see in Chipata and other Eastern Province towns roaming the streets as mental cases….or hospitalized for that reason?
@Chaos theory reloaded, so you do not know why Chainama Mental Hospitals is located on Great East Road. If you go to Eastern Province you meet person every five minutes.
@kci, like your justification. And UNZA, Manda Hill, Archades, and Kenneth Kaunda International Airport built for chainama cases from the East? Then let Southern Province also compete with the East in chamba consumption so that maybe UNZA-Kafue Road Campus can be built for them; and Western Province so that shopping malls and an international airport is built for them….!!!!!!!!!
What is really frustrating is this low level single track minded politicians we have in the country. How narrow minded can someone be to think that legalization of dagga will eradicate poverty.
Just like building more factories will not eradicate poverty, what PS is saying is cultivating it will provide an income to poor farmers….
@Spaka any sort of farming will provide income to farmers if properly implemented. Focus should be placed on developing the entire agriculture sector and not be narrow minded to cannabis only. One of the reasons Zambia is in its crap situation was because of the narrow minded approach of focusing solely on copper and now this clown wants us to implement the same narrow mindedness with cannabis.
@Iyeee Zambia has tried before to be a jack of all trades in agriculture and mastered none. If you’ve been to tertiary education, you may have been tutored specilization….one needs a niche to make it big. Sinkamba is right. Cannabis can prop up pharmaceutical industry; paper industry; textile industry; cosmetic industry; biofuels etc.No single agricultural crop can ever achieve this feat. So absurd to live in denial and choose to bury heads in the sand
@Iyeee. Actually you remind me Bob Marley idiom: ” In the midst of plenty of water a fool is thirsty”. This idiom best explains the mentality of people like you
@Iyeee: Actually you remind me of the Bob Marley idiom “ïn the midst of plenty of water, a fool is thirsty”. The level of denial and burying heads in the sand like ostriches is unbelievable!
In fact, the mental health justification also lacks imperical evidence. Take for instance Eastern Province where DEC usually hauls thousands of tonnes of cannabis every year. How many nut cases do we see in Chipata and other Eastern Province towns roaming the streets…or hospitalized for that reason? 15%? Answer is emphatically NO. Not even 0.001%. So no imperical evidence and no rational justification.
We are not other countries, we are Zambia. This is what even the UK has realised; that they are not the EU, but the UK, unique and different to other European nations and traditions.
Brexit is about wanting to come out and reclaim the “Britishness” which had been fast fading away.
Ancient Israel made a similar mistake. They looked at other countries and rejected God from being King over them. The result was that they ended up with Saul as king, and trouble began.
We can have a USP as a nation. We do not need to legalise vyamba.
As usual Zambia is waiting for the UK to take a lead then they follow….
Wait til it remains the only resource, you see how it will be justifiable to follow suit
Bafi . . . . LEGALIZE IT and FREE ALL CANNABIS PRISONERS
Over-crowding jails – 10% on Cannabis in-mates MUST WALK FREE NOW.
Government to save money on useless DEC Cases, officers and prison maintenance.
Make money on AGRICULTURE, Exports and Marijuana Tourists for our NGONI Brand, best in the World.
@Iyeee. Actually you remind me Bob Marley idiom: ” In the midst of plenty of water a fool is thirsty”. This idiom best explains the mentality of people like you
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Africans are foools …who told you the herb was poisonous yet you are selling alcohol which is a cancer!!
If sata was still president he would have legalized it long time back as he was into smoking the stuff on a daily basis and while high on it was when he was at his best at appointing in the morning and firing the same guy in the afternoon. Lungu is more into jameson than marijuana so will need some convincing.
Unashekofye ibange Peter. If utujilijili nearly turned mother Zambia upside down, imagine ngo lubangula you give them to the mining boys at black mountains. Bakafwa banga when they smoke your weed and cant smoke it as is when it here it is for medicinal purposes. Try it on your wife and your children and lets see how they love it.