LEGALISING DAGGA WILL KILL HHOHHO FARMERS - MP

MBABANE – Some Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Hhohho Region have expressed concern about the proposed Cannabis Regulations on the impact they could have on the current growers of the plant.

The MPs said it was an open secret that many people in the  Hhohho Region were already making a livelihood through the growing of the illegal herb.
Madlangempisi MP Sibusiso ‘Scorpion’ Nxumalo asked the Minister of Health, Lizzie Nkosi, if it was true that there was a company which had already been identified or given the dagga licence to explore if the cannabis could be used for medicinal purposes.

MP Nxumalo said if this was the case, this would discourage many to even apply. He submitted that if government had already taken that posture, then the shadow economy would continue to thrive in areas such as his constituency, Madlangempisi.  He admitted that there was a lot of activity around the plant in that area and that government would stand to lose in taxes again.

He alleged that the traders in this plant had opened mobile money outlets and on some days transacted over E500 000.  MP Nxumalo suggested that the licence fees be broken down to grower, transport, manufacturer and exporter.  Meanwhile, Mhlangatane MP Madala Mhlanga wondered if the legalising of cannabis for medicinal purposes would benefit the majority of emaSwati.

Regulations

He said the drivers of the regulations (technocrats) needed to reach the masses to unpack the regulations before they became finalised by the Parliament. “We might find ourselves killing the shadow economy by legalising the plant,” said MP Mhlanga.
He said it was a known fact that dagga growers were able to sustain their families and send children to school.
In essence, he said further consultations were needed with regard to the matter.

Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, Maseyisini MP Mduduzi Dlamini, said the MPs did not need to debate the issue of the regulations because they were already in Parliament.
He said the MPs already had a chance to deliberate on the regulations on different forums and there was still plenty time to work on them. Public hearings on the regulations have already been called by Parliament.

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