03 Apr 2025

The adoption of policy of the lawful use of Cannabis in Botswana for industrial and medicinal purposes is a positive step that is due to assist the country create jobs and diversify revenue streams.

These were the sentiments of some Members of Parliament (MPs) who debated the motion presented by the acting Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Dr Edwin Dikoloti on Tuesday and approved by Parliament yesterday.

Debating the motion, the MP for Gaborone South and also the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Mr Nelson Ramaotwana said the draft policy document clearly defined the medicinal and scientific uses of Cannabis sativa, which encompassed industrial hemp and medicinal varieties.

He said the policy was comprehensive in detailing the job and commercial opportunities that could be generated through industrial hemp in generating industries such as textiles, construction, food, cooking oil, fibre and pharmaceuticals. Mr Ramaotwana said local capacity building and community benefits would also accrue to the ordinary Batswana, including downstream activities in the industry value chain such as transportation.

The MP for Francistown West and the Assistant Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs Mr Ignatius Moswaane said the policy would allow for strict security to ensure hemp production was done for industrial and medicinal purposes and prevent recreational drug usage. He said as a Christian, he was clear in his conscience in supporting the bill and cited the example that some mainstream drugs offered in hospitals, clinics and pharmacies contained alcohol but it was not the same as recreational alcohol consumption.

Similarly, he said medicinal Marijuana, which included healing properties used to address some health conditions including chronic pain, anxiety, cancer-related symptoms, epilepsy, insomnia and multiple sclerosis, would not be the same as recreational drug usage.

Some MPs were however opposed to the policy of legalising cannabis for industrial and medicinal use.

Nkange MP,  Mr Motlhaleemang Moalosi said the requirements in the policy were elitist and would not allow ordinary Batswana to benefit. He said downstream activities would also be out of bounds for the ordinary people, adding that medicinal Marijuana, unlike industrial hemp, contained high levels of tetrahydrocannabonol (THC), an active drug component believed to be the main ingredient that produces psychoactive effect in Marijuana.

With the policy allowing for both medicinal and industrial uses, Mr Moalosi said that placed Botswana as the risk of THC drug usage and could be misused for recreational drug purposes

Maun West MP, Mr Carterpillar Hikuama said he would rather prefer the country to focus on investing in mainstream agricultural produce of crops such as sorghum, maize and sunflower to generate large scale commercial farming and food processing instead of focusing on a controversial plant such as Marijuana.

He said the country should be laser focused on comprehensively assessing the challenges of the agricultural sector and investing in addressing them to make Botswana have a high value agricultural industry. Mr Hikuama said many Batswana associated marijuana with recreational drug usage, and government should be focused on the value chain of mainstream crop production. ENDS