''Cannabis is a drug plant. People use the dried leaves, seed oil, and other parts
of the cannabis plant for recreational and medicinal purposes. It can have a
pleasurable effect and may soothe the symptoms of various conditions, such
as chronic pain.
It is prudent to say that the first written record of the plant consumption and
growing is in South Africa. Jan van Riebeeck, who ordered officers of
the Voorman to purchase "daccha" in Natal for trade with the Khoikhoi.
The Dutch East India Company attempted to establish a monopoly on its
sale, and to that end prohibited cultivation of the plant by Cape settlers from
1680. However, the ready availability of cannabis in the wild and through
trade with indigenous peoples meant that there was little profit to be made.
Consequently, the prohibition was lifted in 1700. Over 10 countries have now legalized marijuana, these include,
Lesotho. The high-altitude, landlocked kingdom encircled by South Africa,
was the first country in the continent to legalize medicinal cultivation of weed
in 2017, South Africa, Netherlands, Canada, Colombia, United States,
Rwanda, Morocco.
Interestingly Njaja (cannabis) and Mirra (khat), although designated as
noncommercial herbs, there use both medically and economically cannot be
underestimated, neighboring countries like Kenya and Ethiopia have actually
delegalized their trade, and have adopted an open policy for khat as a very
major source of economic production, by way of comparison khat as a source
of income in Ethiopia and Kenya beats all our exports combined. It’s also
prudent to note that where tea grows khat will easily grow, in fact several
planes ferry khat on daily basis to Mogadishu and Kenya on average earns
about to there million dollars out of khat.
If we are to argue in terms of the level of intoxication it can be argued that
one beer bottle is equivalent to several kilograms (which would be several
sacks full) of Cannabis.
…