Zim sets $50 000 fee to grow marijuana 

Source: Zim sets $50 000 fee to grow marijuana – DailyNews Live

Farayi Machamire      29 April 2018

HARARE – Government has set high licence fees for those wishing to farm
cannabis (mbanje) while at the same time reducing the prison terms of
those caught illegally dealing in the substance.

The fees were announced in a government gazette on Friday by Health and
Child Care minister David Parirenyatwa in a Statutory Instrument
legalising the production of mbanje for medicinal and research purposes.

It costs a hefty $50 000 to acquire the licence to farm mbanje.

Mbanje growers will be required to pay an annual return fee of $15 000
while an application to renew a producer’s licence will cost $20 000 and a
licence to conduct research on cannabis has been pegged at $5 000.

An application for renewal of a licence to conduct research on cannabis
will cost $2 500, application for variation or amendment of a licence $2
500, application for import/ export licence $5 000 and inspection licence
$2 500.

“An application for the issue of a licence in terms of section 27 of the
Act shall be made to the minister, in duplicate and shall be accompanied
by the appropriate fee and three copies of a plan of the site proposed to
be licensed which shall comply with the requirement specified in these
regulations.

“In case of an individual, proof of citizenship or proof of being
ordinarily resident in Zimbabwe or proof of an exemption by the minister
(will be required).

“In the case of a company, proof of citizenship or proof of being
ordinarily resident in Zimbabwe of the majority of directors or proof of
an exemption by the minister and proof of incorporation in Zimbabwe of the
company; and a declaration, signed and dated by the proposed authorised
person in charge, stating that the authorised person in charge, the
proposed responsible person in charge and, if applicable, the proposed
alternate responsible person in charge, are familiar with the provisions
of the Act (will be required),”  Parirenyatwa said in the regulations.”

The prison sentences of those violating the regulations have been slashed
with offenders convicted facing up to a year in prison.

“Any person who contravenes the provisions of these regulations shall be
guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 12 or to
imprisonment not exceeding one year or to both such fine and such
imprisonment,” said Parirenyatwa.

Zimbabwe has joined Lesotho as the only other country allowing the
production of marijuana for medicinal and research purposes.

In the United States of America mbanje is legal in 29 states.

According to medical experts, mbanje has many medicinal benefits which
include relieving pain, insomnia, anxiety and reducing pain in treating
epileptic patients.