Cabinet, which is the top policy determining body of the ruling government is concluding studies on legalizing the commercial growing of marijuana in the Uganda.
According to State Minister of Health for General Duties, Sarah Opendi, the subcommittee is chaired by Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda and is currently processing the proposal.
“Cabinet has discussed the matter extensively and a cabinet subcommittee chaired Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda is in place to critically look at issues of enforcement and regulations. We are hopeful that early next year we should be able to receive a report from this cabinet subcommittee and thereafter we should be able to make a decision,” Opendi told media.
Whereas the Ministry of Health says 14 companies have applied to acquire license to grow medical cannabis for export, reports indicate that the number of people and private companies seeking to grow and export marijuana for medical purposes has increased from 20 in April to 50 in July 2019.
The government is also under pressure from the various marijuana dealers to explain why they allowed Industrial Hemp (U) Ltd, a private company working with another Israeli-based cannabis firm to grow marijuana in Kasese and “frustrated” others through “delaying tactics”. The company was given the license in 2016.
And though marijuana is banned at the national level, a number cannabis companies are increasing their presence in Uganda to gain entry to a market, even when the authorities are still grappling with the idea of how to regulate the growing of medical marijuana.
Media reports indicate government is pressed by some of these powerful marijuana companies to endorse the proposals.
City tycoon Sudhir Ruparelia through his Premier Hemp has also shown interest in taking one of the lucrative businesses.
Dr. Opendi said the proposals will by a subcommittee will be presented early next year.
According to a recent report by the New Frontier Data, a UK-based authority in data analytics and business intelligence on the global cannabis industry, 2.6 Million Ugandans use marijuana and Uganda is 8th position among the top 10 countries in Africa.
