Drug War Issues
Politics & Advocacy
A member of parliament (MP) from Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF (Zimbabwean African National Union -- Patriotic Front) has called for the legalization of marijuana cultivation for medicinal reasons and/or for export. That call was rejected by the country's agriculture minister.
Flag of Zimbabwe (Image via Wikimedia)
"I would like to know from the Minister the national policy with regards to creating export processing zones (EPZ) in remote areas," said Mudarikwa. "The reason for creating the EPZs in those remote areas is so that we can grow marijuana. Other countries like California and Norway have legalized it," he added.
[Editor's Note: Mudarikwa is a bit confused here. California is a state, not a country, and Norway has not legalized it. Perhaps he was thinking of the Netherlands.]
Agriculture Minister Joseph Made was having none of it. "That crop is not authorized in this country, and from a policy point of view, this crop is prohibited," he responded.
ZANU-PF is the party headed by Zimbabwe's long-time authoritarian ruler, Robert Mugabe. Since February 2009, ZANU-PF has entered into a tense coalition government with Morgan Tsvangarai and the Movement for Democratic Change. Mugabe remains as president, a post he has held since 1987, while Tsvangarai serves as prime minister.
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Comments
We must protect our children!
Marijuana has been repeatedly proven to NOT cause cancer, heart disease, brain damage, liver disease, emphysema, or overdoses, and its addictive potential is about on par with coffee. The DEA is 100% misinformed when it calls marijuana "extremely harmful"!
The marijuana prohibition empowers drug dealers and cartels, and makes our children LESS safe! Because of the failings of the prohibition, our children now have easier access to marijuana than to alcohol! We parents have been patient long enough, we must speak up and demand that marijuana be legally sold to adults in gas stations and supermarkets just as beer and wine are today!
We need laws based on logic, not ideology! We need to put an end to Richard Nixon's marijuana prohibition and Legalize Adult Marijuana Sales!!
misinformation
Sounds like buddy needs a computer with an internet connection.
I applaud the Zimbabwe
I applaud the Zimbabwe Minister; "Marijuana is a Natural Herb and Afrikans are famous for Natural Herbals...a.
legalise
If marijuana is illegal so should alcohol.considering the fact that more people die from alcohol related incidents and worse still cigarette use than from marijuana. Infact there are very few marijuana reported deaths..Secondly there's a misconception that marijuana is a gate way drug, there's no scientific evidence proving this notion. Thirdly a large percentage of people use marijuana, so what exactly is the drug policy achieving...rationalism, if the drug policy isn't achieving its purpose (to limit the use of drugs particularly marijuana) what is the policy's purpose besides wasting the country's valuable resources on issues that have very little impact on the already fragile political and economic atmosphere. Lastly (i could come up with more arguments, but i think this should do it) legalising marijuana would actually aid the economy in terms of tax revenues...think about it...what is the purpose of marijuana being illegal and is that purpose actually being achieved, and given the benefits listed doesn't it make more sense to legalise marijuana?
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