By Scoop Reporter
THE African Union is expected to draft a common position on the rescheduling of Cannabis and associated substances in the International Drug Control framework to facilitate the trade of these substances for medicinal and scientific purposes.
Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Emmanuel Mwamba says the draft is expected to take into consideration the national policies as guided by the AU plan of action on drug control and crime prevention (2019-2023.
He says the decision by the African Union has been necessitated by the announcement that the voting for the reclassification of cannabis is to take place in December, 2020 at the United Nations.
He says the African Union Commission will constitute an expert group to spearhead the drafting of the Common African Position after consultations with member states.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that Cannabis be reclassified as it is not particularly harmful as research had indicated that its use is not associated with significant risk of death.
Zambia last year approved a policy to legalize the production and export of cannabis for economic and medicinal purposes.
