Zimbabwe approves first sale of medical cannabis

Zimbabwe’s Medicines Control Agency said on Tuesday it is now accepting applicants from cannabis and hemp producers, manufacturers, importers, exporters and retail pharmacists, the South African country’s latest move to move away from tobacco.

As Bloomberg reported, cannabis is being offered as “free medicine for patients,” marking the “first time” Zimbabwe has allowed the sale of cannabis.

The agency set a number of conditions for applicants, advising that they must provide both product samples and “Certificates of Analysis from an accredited laboratory detailing the amounts of active constituents of cannabidiols and any traces of tetrahydrocannabinols as part of the information in the dossier.” “

“Any applications for hemp-based CBD products that do not meet the above criteria may not be approved for distribution and may be subject to confiscation,” the drug control agency warned. “In addition, vendors may be prosecuted for selling unapproved complementary medicine.”

Zimbabwe legalized medicinal cannabis in 2018, becoming one of the first countries in Africa to do so.

Policy was motivated by economic realities. Tobacco, long the country’s top export, has declined globally, forcing Zimbabwean farmers and lawmakers to rethink their approach to agriculture.

According to Bloomberg, Zimbabwe generated $819 million in revenue from tobacco last year, although expected “demand for cannabis during tobacco use is expected to continue to increase [the country’s] Global production could fall by 15% by 2030.”

Industry leaders have encouraged the country’s tobacco farmers to “grow cannabis so that a quarter of their income comes from the plant by 2025,” Bloomberg reported.

In 2019, Zimbabwe lifted its ban on cannabis cultivation, paving the way for the country’s farmers to start growing industrial hemp for export. That same year, the country granted its first license to a medicinal cannabis company to begin cultivation.

According to Bloomberg, Zimbabwe “exported 30 tons of industrial hemp to Switzerland last year, its first foray into the European market”.

In May, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa commissioned a $27 million medicinal cannabis farm and processing facility to be operated by Swiss Bioceuticals Limited in Western Province, Zimbabwe.

“This milestone is a testament to the achievements of my government’s engagement and re-engagement policies. It also demonstrates the confidence that Swiss companies have in our economy through their continued investments in Zimbabwe. I warmly congratulate Swiss Bioceuticals Limited on their timely investment in their $27 million medical cannabis farm, processing facility and value chain,” Mnangagwa said in the facility’s announcement, as quoted by Business Insider.

Mnangagwa has been a vocal supporter of the country’s medicinal cannabis program, often saying that Zimbabwe is “open to business” for the industry.

Business Insider reported at the time that Mnangagwa “also urged other investors with permits to quickly operationalize their permits and licenses for the benefit of the economy in general and the people in particular.”

“I challenge other players within the medical cannabis sub-sector to quickly build their businesses with a focus on value creation and monetization. It’s disappointing that only 15 of the 57 companies issued have operated cannabis since 2018 [licenses] have been in operation,” Mnangagwa said, as quoted by Business Insider.

Mnangagwa urged investors to “follow [Swiss Bioceuticals Limited’s] run and open their business to support the mantra “Zimbabwe is open for business” and ready to generate foreign currency for the country.”

With experts forecasting the global cannabis industry to be worth US$272 billion by 2028, Reuters reported that Zimbabwean officials have said “the country wants at least US$1 billion of this – more than it currently has with its main one.” agricultural export tobacco earned”.