The United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs voted on Wednesday to remove cannabis and cannabis resin from a category of the world’s most dangerous drugs, in a move expected to heavily impact the global medical marijuana industry.
The commission, which is made up of 53 member states, removed marijuana from the list of Schedule IV narcotics, as classified by the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (the Schedule IV category mostly included opioids, such as heroin and various kinds of fentanyl). Additionally, the commission rejected a proposal to include THC in the 1961 convention, which could have led to stricter marijuana laws.
“The vote today is the result of the Commission’s intensive and detailed consideration of these very complex recommendations during the last two years”, as the Chairperson, Ambassador Mansoor Ahmad Khan of Pakistan pointed out.
The vote should be good news for Zimbabwe as it opens up the global medical marijuana markets.
The Government gazetted the legal framework for cannabis production through Statutory Instrument 62 of 2018 (Dangerous Drugs — Production of Cannabis for Medicinal and Scientific Use Regulations).
Some farmers have already started harvesting the Mbanje crop.
Recreational Mbanje use is common in Zimbabwe. Recently a man hung himself after his wife had misplaced keys to a room containing his Mbanje.
A couple was sentenced to 5 years in prison after being caught with 35kg Of Mbanje and a 76-year-old Granny was Nabbed For Growing Mbanje in Chipinge.