Group Asks House Of Reps To Expedite Action On Cannabis Bill

Following the introduction of a bill to amend the cannabis farming prohibition law in the House of Representatives,, the Civil Society Organisation Stakeholders on Farming for Medical Use Initiative (CSOF) has commended the move.

The “Cannabis Control Bill” was sponsored by the member representing
Isiala Mbano/ Onuimo/ Okigwe Fed constituency of Imo State, Princess Miriam Onuoha.

According to a statement issued on Thursday by group’s Program Manager, Johnson Omede, the bill is very strategic to unlocking the benefits of cannabis for medical purposes but only under stringent control, processes and monitoring.

The statement urged the lawmakers to give the bill accelerated hearing, noting that there was no better time than now for the draft legislation to be passed when Cannabidiol (CBD) Oil (a chemical in the Cannabis sativa plant) was being used for the treatment of COVID-19.

“There are over 80 chemicals, known as cannabinoids, that have been identified in the Cannabis sativa plant; in Israel, The Tel Aviv hospital Ichilov has already gone ahead and started using CBD or the non-psychotropic parts of the cannabis plant against the novel Coronavirus in a new study,” the statement said.

“A cannabis control law would have helped Nigeria to join in the clinical trial of Cannabidiol for COVID-19 treatment, as the country desperately searches for cure at a time the health sector is beginning to get overwhelmed and stressed beyond remedy.

“The farming of cannabis for health, and it uses as CBD oil for chemotherapy in cancer patients and for other health benefits in Nigeria, is capable of creating thousands of jobs in the country, and also earn us a significant foreign exchange from exportation.

“We are urging the National Assembly to give this bill a serious consideration and pass it into law, since it has also addressed concerns, highlighted sanctions against abusers and make the regulatory agencies more responsible.”

The statement further called on patriotic Nigerians to support the bill,  so that the country would not be left behind as other countries, including Ghana, were moving in droves to regulate cannabis farming and restrict its use for controlled and monitored health treatments only.