You can now legally plant cannabis in Zimbabwe

Zimbabweans can now plant weed after the government announced that it would provide licenses for cultivation.

The Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa in a Government Gazette on Friday licensed the planting of cannabis for medicinal and scientific purposes under Statutory Instrument 62 of 2018 (Dangerous Drugs – Production of Cannabis for Medicinal and Scientific Use Regulations).

“An application for the issue of a licence in terms of section 27 of the Act shall be made to the Minister, in duplicate and shall be accompanied by the appropriate fee and three copies of a plan of the site proposed to be licensed which shall comply with the requirement specified in these regulations” read the regulations.

Farmers must provide a proof of citizenship or residency to get the license.

“In case of an individual, proof of citizenship or proof of being ordinarily resident in Zimbabwe or proof of an exemption by the Minister (will be required),” the regulation said.

The license will last for five years and applicants are required to indicate information such as how they are going to keep their records, commencing date of selling or providing the final product, whether oil or fresh cannabis as well as the name of the person who will manage the activity of the licensed producer.

Zimbabwe becomes the second African country to license after Lesotho.