Zimbabwe has announced growing marijuana is now legal for medical and scientific purposes. https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/o/r/h/v/9/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1pllxn.png/1524919803025.jpg
Zimbabwe legalises marijuana for medicinal, scientific uses
Zimbabwe has legalised the production of marijuana for medicinal and scientific purposes, making it the rare African country to turn the drug into a source of revenue.
A government notice issued by the health minister says individuals and corporations can apply for licenses to grow marijuana, whose production and possession had brought up to 12 years in prison.
Recreational use remains illegal.
The decision is a marked shift from the traditionally tough stance on marijuana in the largely conservative country where members of Parliament who had advocated for legalisation often were openly mocked.
READ MORE: * Why NZ should not legalise cannabis: An evidence-based perspective * Meghan Markle's cannabis farmer nephew creating special marijuana for her wedding day * Cannabis crackdown uncovers 10,000 marijuana plants, 30 guns and $50,000 cash * Medical marijuana a 'billion-dollar industry', says exporter who employs staff with a past
The tiny nation of Lesotho last year became the first in Africa to issue a license for medical marijuana. Countries including Malawi and Ghana are reportedly exploring ways to legalise the drug.
A South African court last year ruled that private use of marijuana was legal but the government appealed the ruling at the Constitutional Court.
Much of Africa still criminalises the production and use of marijuana.
Africa is second only to the Americas in terms of production and consumption of the drug, according to the United Nations' 2017 World Drug Report.
Last updated 00:50, April 29 2018 https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/103464779/zimbabwe-legalises-marijuana-for-medicinal-scientific-uses
