Economist says Malawi needs to weigh merits, demerits of industrial hemp
A renowned economist has warned the government and parliament to weigh the merits and demerits of the legalization of industrial and medicinal hemp in the country.
Dalitso Kubalasa, the executive director of Malawi Economic Justice Network (Mejn) said there is need for a critical analysis of the economic merits of the industrial and medicinal hemp.
“We should first look at the demerits so that we have a win-win situation,” he said.
The chairman of the parliamentary committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources Joseph Chidanti Malunga said there was need for more research and civic education on industrial and medicinal hemp.
Malunga said the government should put legislation to ensure that the hemp benefits ordinary people. Parliament has given a go ahead to Ntchisi north legislator Boniface Kadzamira to move a motion in the House to legalise the cultivation and sale of industrial hemp.
The parliamentarians said this on Thursday when they debated on the issue.
Kadzamira told the suspicious legislators that the industrial hemp is very different from chamba in that the hemp is used to manufacture priducts such as clothes and shoes as well as manufacturing of medicine.
He told the parliamentarians that even if people smoke it, they cannot be intoxicated.
“The country will still have the laws which outlaw chamba,” he said.
He said farmers wishing to grow the industrial hemp will be legally registered with the government before they will be allowed to cultivate it.
Experts say the industrial hemp is a likely crop to replace tobacco, saying the industrial hemp does not need firewood as is the case with the leaf.
Lilongwe University of Natural Resources and Agriculture and Chitedze Research Station have given a go ahead to government to legalise Indian hemp.
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Bwana Economic Kubalasa, please tell us at least one DEMERIT of industrial hemp. Do you want to fight researchers who have given government a green light or you just want your presence felt?
@Moya thats the right wording kuti changu pa malo & a Chair Muluzi amati kumachangamuka pa town. Azungu apanga ma research anaika ma billion dollars kuti abvomereze chamba chopangira zinthu inu azakwaye muli mbuuu masuti otuwa nkumati tifufuzebe mudzifufudzano mwaufiti? President Museveni amakonda kunena m’misonkhano ya AU kuti “Africa Dont Need To Waist Time In Research Just R & C meaning REFER & COPY” R & C zothaitha & a Chair Muluzi ngati awerenge txt iyi andibvomereza.
Why do Malawi leaders do things like fools u mean u dont have full info of industrial hemp up to now? The University u assigned to do reaserch has approved it & u members of Parliament & Bwana Kubalasa u r still doubting why why why u guyz want to gag Malawians in the poverty world inu simumamva chisoni akamati Malawi ndi dziko losauka? Chamba ichi mtengo wake ndiosachepera 5 dollars pa kilo & ndi mbeu iti m’Malawi muno munagulitsapo $5 pa kilo? Fodya Chotsa Chotsa, Chamba Lowa Lowaaaaa! Alimi amve kukoma & uphawi ukagwere uko aaaah! kukondwere ndikuti mudzikwera… Read more »
THIS IS 21ST CENTURY OUR LEADERS NEED TO THINK HIGH TO ACHIEVE HIGH —DON’T REASON /THINK LIKE PETER /GOODAL WHO THINK / REASON LIKE THEY ARE STILL WORKING FOR ROY WERENSKY — THINKING THAT CONSTRUCTING AN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN MZUZU IS A WASTE — CHANGE IS INEVITABLE !!
We are past this stage we now need money coming into account 1 ASAPand opening processing factories..Let’s not waste time the super powers are legalizing this meaning they have already done those analysis..changu pa malo, we should now be talking of buying cargo planes to ferry this new gold and start raking in the dollars.