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| Sativa type not Industrial Hemp |
Youth rights activists differ with drug fight body opinion that Industrial Hemp legalization will increase Marijuana smoking among Malawi youths.
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| Zakeyo faulted for his analysis |
Drug Fight Malawi analysis signed by its Executive Director, Nelson Baziwelo Zakeyu objects legalization of Industrial Hemp with fear that the hemp will increase Marijuana smoking among the youth, and bring negative impact than much anticipated positive hopes that the product is likely to alleviate poverty and bring economic prosperity to the country.
In the analysis Zakeyu draws attention to the 2004 country’s rapid situation analysis on the relationship between use of drugs and HIV by Ministry of Health and Centre for Social Studies at Chancellor College which found that tobacco and Marijuana were among most abused drugs by many Malawians due to accessibility and affordability since they are grown locally.
He stated in an interview that such previous studies are a lesson that legalizing unknown hemp to Malawians which also has thin distinct between it and Marijuana, it is hazardous attempt which may result in creating “a big Marijuana” in the country and worsen Marijuana smoking.
“Legalizing Industrial Hemp creates potential for broad scale development, manufacture and marketing of Marijuana products.” Warns Zakeyo
He further cautioned that just like how malfunctioned legal drug markets of alcohol and tobacco have created health problems in the country, legalizing Industrial Hemp will worsen poverty and poor health of people due to the known direct links of drug’s to non-communicable dieses.
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| Indica type: feared to be mistaken for Industrial Hemp |
“It is therefore far not right to think that legalizing Marijuana would actually have a positive impact in alleviation of poverty to the country in fact, doing so would worsen the situation, heavily and negatively impacting young people.” Advised Zakeyo further urging Government to tread carefully and “not play with danger” that will harm young people
However, in separate interview, two V
Youth Rights Activists, Lucky Mbewe and Charles Kajoloweka, Executive Directors for Centre for Youth Empowerment and Civic Education (CYECE) and Executive Director for Youth and Society (YAS) respectively have dismissed the drug fight body reservations, calling them as mare phobia and urged the body to bring objective ideas that will help to effectively curb smoking but not stopping the country from exploring ways diversifying the economy through growing of profitable cash crops.
Lucky Mbewe said to the contrary, Industrial Hemp legalization will bring more economic benefits to the country and not cause any harm to the youth or influence them to smoke Marijuana.
Said Lucky Mbewe; “Perhaps what I would propagate is, we should look at the dimensions in terms of the use of Industrial Hemp. This type of hemp can be used for medical or other industrial uses which may in turn boost our economy and not necessarily smoking. More importantly, a lot of youth will get economic empowerment from cultivating this type of Hemp. So we need to look at this issue on economic and health gains”
On his part Charles Kajoloweka said “It is in our considered view that legalization of the Industrial Hemp for industrial purposes must be understood from the scientific perspective, that it is going to work for the Industry, which we already know that currently it is already working. And we know its economic benefits through number of studies that have indicated how Industrial Hemp is being used for industrial purposes.”
“Growing of Industrial Hemp could be another way of going forward as a country in terms of exploring possibilities of other cash crops” he added
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| Growing Industrial Hemp will bring benefits of manufacturing industry of the above materials |
As of prevention of possible abuse of the hemp as feared by the Drug Fight Malawi which draws lessons from malfunctioned legal drug markets of alcohol and tobacco where children as young as 10 could access, both Mbewe and Kajoloweka have emphasized the needed for good regulatory framework and its enforcement once the hemp is legalized.
“In terms of this fear, it goes back to how it is going to be regulated and how regulatory framework to be put in place is going to be enforced. It just the same with alcohol, we have the laws that regulate the selling, production and consumption of alcohol in this country. But the question is to what extent do we enforce the regulatory framework.
So, we cannot continue remaining behind as the country to explore the possible opportunities in development because we are afraid that there will be some spillovers in terms of negative impact. So for us if there is proper legal framework put in place that regulates industrial use of the hemp then we should not be worried as a country.” observed Kajoloweka
The two youth rights activists also concurred that effective engagement with key stakeholders and all Malawians to sensitize them on the pros and cons of the Industrial Hemp is imperative in order to avoid misconceptions around the hemp incessantly spread like a wildfire.
“People have a perception that every hemp is meant for smoking, those are some of the issues that requires masses to be sensitized on and publicize accordingly.” comments Mbewe
Meanwhile, Private Sector Development Expert working with Invegrow on the trials and development of Industrial Hemp in Malawi, Nebert Nyirenda says Drug Fight Malawi fears are misleading and are mare misconception about Industrial Hemp.
“In Industrial Hemp does not contain intoxicating Psychoactive chemicals like Marijuana has. This means that our youths will not be interested to some this hemp and instead, due to its economic benefits, we highly anticipate our youths to be empowered economically through cultivation of this profitable cash crop.” Said Nyirenda
He further indicated that in 36 countries worldwide where the hemp is cultivated, there are no cases of its abuse and has also acknowledged that there is need for more sensitization about the crop.
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| Clarke; Industrial Hemp is harmless |
Also, Invegrow Limited founder, Tanya Clarke concurred with Nyirenda that Industrial Hemp is harmless and is an economic viable crop. She said unlike its genetic cousin marijuana, hemp, which is grown for its seeds and fibers, contains only minuscule amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, an ingredient that creates a sense of euphoria when smoked.
She underlined that the hemp is grown as agricultural commodity used in a wide range of products that include, health food, biofuels, building materials, cosmetics, textiles and much more. She assured that allowing and regulating legal cultivation of hemp would create a development opportunity for many Malawians and stimulate new industries and increase the country’s export base.
Currently, Invegrow Limited is working with the Government at Chitedze Research Station to trial different cultivars of low THC hemp and demonstrate small- scale production of growing the Industrial Hemp and according to Clarke, the data of the results will be out by April this year.
Malawi has already shown interest to grow Industrial Hemp as a new cash crop with hopes that Malawi stands to greatly benefit from such a versatile crop however, currently, the laws indicate that although cannabis products could be produced in Malawi under licence, (being part of the former British empire that was traditionally a major consumer of hemp products), its cultivation is not legal.
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