Rwanda legalizes medical cannabis

Rwandan doctors will soon be able to prescribe medical cannabis to patients, following a new ministerial decree adopted by the country that authorizes the therapeutic use of cannabis and products containing it.

The order, which was adopted on June 28, follows a decision made in October 2020 to legalize the cultivation of medical cannabis, but only for international export.

How will access to medical cannabis work?

Ministerial Decree No. 003/MoH/2021, signed by Health Minister Daniel Ngamije and Justice Minister Johnston Busingye, establishes a basic framework for the cultivation, processing, and potential medical prescription of cannabis in Rwanda.

The new law will not limit the types of conditions for which medical cannabis can be prescribed, but prescriptions may only be issued by medical specialists. These specialists will receive a written accreditation notice from the Rwandan Ministry of Health granting them the authority to make decisions regarding cannabis prescriptions at their own discretion.

Doctors will be required to provide their patients with sufficient information about medical cannabis so that patients can make an informed decision about whether they wish to undergo treatment with medical marijuana. Before prescribing, doctors are also encouraged to ensure that the prescription of medical cannabis is medically necessary by conducting an individualized assessment of each patient’s needs.

In addition, these medical specialists will be authorized to prescribe cannabis-based medications only for conditions within their area of expertise, in order to limit the potential for abuse.

Licenses and Guidelines for Businesses

The new law lists the eight available licenses and the activities authorized under each license. The types of licenses and certifications listed in the ministerial order are as follows:

• cultivation licenses
• Import permits for seeds, genetic material, and other planting materials
• export licenses for seeds, genetic material, and other planting materials
• Licenses for the processing of cannabis and cannabis products
• Import License for Cannabis and Cannabis Products
• Export License for Cannabis and Cannabis Products
• registration certificates for cannabis and finished cannabis products
• research licenses

Each license will be valid for 5 years before it must be renewed. Individuals and businesses wishing to obtain one of these licenses must meet all applicable prerequisites and submit an application to the competent authority.

Entities that receive one (or more) of these licenses may conduct their business only at their approved facilities. These facilities must also be highly secure.

According to the’EastAfrican, these security measures include the installation of a double-layered fence, the presence of personnel patrolling around the fence, the hiring of a licensed private security service, and the installation of other security measures such as video surveillance cameras, watchtowers, intrusion detection systems, and security lighting.

Businesses that violate the guidelines set forth in the ordinance may be subject to an administrative fine ranging from 1 to 50 million Rwandan francs, or approximately 1,000 to 40,000 euros. In the event of a repeat offense, the law provides for this fine to be doubled.

Recreational cannabis use remains prohibited in Rwanda, and individuals who use or cultivate this drug for recreational purposes are subject to prosecution under the country’s anti-drug laws. This offense is currently punishable by fines ranging from half a million to 5 million Rwandan francs and three to five years in prison.

The first prescriptions are expected in more than 12 months

This new ordinance, which aims to legalize medical cannabis for home use, brings Rwanda in line with a number of other African countries, including Lesotho, the Morocco, theUganda and the Zimbabwe.

The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and the Rwandan government expect this new national medical cannabis sector to generate significant revenue through exports and the creation of new job opportunities in the agriculture and high-value-added processing sectors.

The first prescriptions are expected to be issued in 2022, once the country’s Ministry of Health has established the necessary procedures for prescribing and distributing medical cannabis. Until these procedures are in place, the Rwandan government will continue to review all license applications submitted to its relevant agencies.