Envisaging challenges for the emerging medicinal Cannabis sector in Lesotho.

IF 4.1 Q1 PHARMACOLOGY & PHARMACY
Regina M Thetsane
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: Cultivation of Cannabis and its use for medical purposes has existed for millennia on the African continent. The plant has also been widely consumed in the African continent since time immemorial. In particular, Lesotho has been largely growing Cannabis since approximately the 1550s and was illegally grown and unlawfully used for both medicinal and recreational purposes. It was only in 2017 when Lesotho started licensing Cannabis companies and regulating cultivation of Cannabis for medicinal purposes. However, the Lesotho Cannabis industry seems to have excluded the Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) in the legalisation of Cannabis, the sector has the potential for small Cannabis enterprises in Lesotho.

Objective: This study attempts to examine challenges facing the evolving Cannabis sector in Lesotho as envisaged by Cannabis company managers with the aim of being proactive while addressing such challenges.

Methods: The qualitative descriptive method was employed using both primary and secondary data. For the selection of the three Cannabis managers exponential non-discriminative snowball sampling was adopted and interviews with the managers were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the descriptive explanations of the Cannabis managers to determine the themes that were further consolidated into categories.

Results: The implementation and compliance with the laws in the Lesotho medicinal Cannabis sector has proved very challenging, with long timeframes for finalising regulatory frameworks and not being applied objectively. The industry does not provide opportunities for Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) to venture into the Cannabis business.

Conclusion: In Lesotho, the Cannabis sector appears to be faced with many challenges emanating from the implementation and enforcement of Cannabis laws. The Lesotho Government should review its Cannabis laws and regulations with a view to benefiting SMMEs and legalising Cannabis production so as to serve both the domestic and international markets.

展望莱索托新兴药用大麻行业面临的挑战。
背景:种植大麻并将其用于医疗目的在非洲大陆已有数千年的历史。自古以来,这种植物在非洲大陆也被广泛食用。特别是莱索托,大约从 15 世纪 50 年代起就开始大量种植大麻,并非法种植和非法用于医疗和娱乐目的。直到 2017 年,莱索托才开始向大麻公司发放许可证,并对药用大麻的种植进行监管。然而,莱索托大麻产业似乎将中小型和微型企业(SMMEs)排除在大麻合法化之外,该行业对莱索托的小型大麻企业具有潜力:本研究试图探讨大麻公司管理者所设想的莱索托不断发展的大麻行业所面临的挑战,目的是积极主动地应对这些挑战:采用定性描述法,同时使用原始数据和二手数据。在选择三位大麻公司经理时,采用了指数式非歧视性滚雪球抽样法,并对经理们的访谈进行了录音和逐字记录。采用主题分析法对大麻管理人员的描述性解释进行分析,以确定进一步归类的主题:事实证明,莱索托药用大麻行业的法律实施和遵守非常具有挑战性,监管框架的最终确定需要较长的时间,而且没有得到客观实施。该行业没有为中小型和微型企业(SMMEs)提供涉足大麻业务的机会:在莱索托,由于大麻法律的实施和执行,大麻行业似乎面临着许多挑战。莱索托政府应审查其大麻法律法规,以惠及中小型企业并使大麻生产合法化,从而服务于国内和国际市场。
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CiteScore
6.20
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