Zambia legalizes home-growing of medical cannabis

Zambian Interior Minister Steven Kampyongo signed a ministerial decree to legalize the cultivation of medical cannabis, also known as chamba or ibange in the country. This decree falls under Section 9 of the Psychotropic Substances and Narcotic Drugs Act, Chapter 96, under Zambian law.

The minister reiterated that it will be mandatory to obtain a license from the relevant authorities before beginning to grow medical cannabis; otherwise, the cannabis grower risks criminal prosecution.

The Ministry of Health will issue licenses to individuals who wish to grow cannabis for medical purposes. There will be a fee for the license.

The law does not currently specify the maximum number of plants allowed per cultivation operation and merely states that cultivation must not be on a «substantial and commercial scale.».

The Ministry of Health also provides for to monitor and restrict the production, possession, sale, and distribution of cannabis to only those persons covered by the new law, and to prescribe measures to eradicate crops if the plants were growing wild.

This new law had the support by some prominent Zambian doctors, such as Dr. Mujajati, who were advocating for the legalization of medical cannabis in Zambia. The mere possession of cannabis can now result in a prison sentence.