By Burnett Munthali

Following the passing of this bill in Parliament, several Malawians are debating the issue on different platforms. I must admit that there are quite a number of mixed reactions over the decision by Malawi government. They center stage of the discussion is that most people think and believe that cannabis is only used for smoking purposes. The general conclusions are that with the introduction of cannabis farming in the country we should expect high levels of drug abuse and mental disorders. This article excavates why governments consider cannabis as a potential plant that’s going to bring foreign exchange to their economies including Malawi.

Cannabis Regulatory Amendment

Parliament has passed the Cannabis Regulation Amendment Bill. Once assented to by the President, the provision would enable farmers to cultivate the local cannabis brand legally. This is the first private members bill to be passed by Parliament this year.

Minister of Local Government, Unity, and Culture, Richard Chimwendo Banda, who is also Leader of the House in Parliament, has indicated that the passing of Private Members Bill No.1 of 2024, also known as the Cannabis Regulatory Amendment, will help Malawi boost its foreign and domestic revenue collection.

The Minister said the government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, aims to grow the economy by producing and exporting Cannabis.

The research from the University of Wales indicates that cannabis is important in the health sector in a number of ways as follows:

1. Lowering blood pressure

A study conducted by JCI Insight in 2017 found that CBD lowered the blood pressure of human participants. It reduced their resting blood pressure as well as their blood pressure after stress tests including mental arithmetic, isometric exercise, and the cold pressor test. 

2) Reducing inflammation

CBD has been proven to help reduce inflammation and the neuropathic pain it can cause, according to a study by the Rockefeller Institute of Medical Research. 

3) Preventing relapse in drug and alcohol addiction

A 2018 study discovered that CBD can be useful in helping people who suffer from drug and alcohol addiction. A preclinical trial with lab rats determined that CBD reduced the stress-induced cravings, anxiety and lack of impulse control that often cause people to relapse. 

4)Treating anxiety disorders

Anxiety is perhaps the most common affliction that people have used CBD for, and a preclinical study found that CBD could be effective in treating generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. 

5) Treating gastrointestinal (GI) disorders

A recent study found that CBD and other non-psychoactive cannabinoids can effectively be used to prevent and treat GI disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis and more. CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties are key to reducing and preventing symptoms. 

6) Preventing seizures

Decades of research have gone into using CBD to treat epilepsy and other seizure syndromes, and a recent study showed it can have positive effects in reducing symptoms and seizure frequency. 

7) Fighting cancer

Not only has CBD been used to help alleviate the effects of chemotherapy, but studies have also found it can prevent cell growth and induce cell death in cervical cancer cell lines and it has numerous anti-cancer effects that can help prevent a variety of cancers, treat tumors, and benefit the immune system. 

Beyond these seven benefits, there are even more still being researched and tested. It’s our hope that students in our new Cannabis Entrepreneurship program will play a key role in building the future of this industry.