Lumumba warns medical Cannabis farmers against ignoring regulatory responsibilities

Lumumba Warns Medical Cannabis Farmers against Ignoring Regulatory Responsibilities

National

By Editor

The Minister of Information, Communications Technology and National Guidance, Justine Kasule Lumumba, has said Uganda’s emerging medical cannabis and industrial hemp sector must be built on responsibility, compliance and collective accountability.

Lumumba, who is also chairperson of the Uganda Medical Cannabis and Industrial Hemp Cooperative Society (UMCHICS), warned that misconduct by individual farmers could undermine public confidence in the entire sector.

She made the remarks in her opening speech at the cooperative’s first Annual General Meeting, held under the theme, “A Farmers’ Institution Built on Responsibility.”

Lumumba said the AGM was more than a formal requirement for a newly registered cooperative, describing it as the beginning of an institution expected to promote responsible participation in a highly regulated and often misunderstood sector.

“Today we meet for the first Annual General Meeting of the Uganda Medical Cannabis and Industrial Hemp Cooperative Society. This is more than the first formal meeting of a newly registered cooperative. It is the beginning of an institution,” Lumumba said.

She said public scrutiny of the sector was legitimate because cannabis production raises questions about regulation, diversion, safeguards and the benefits Uganda expects to derive from the industry.

“We therefore recognise that the public may have legitimate questions. Why cannabis? Why a cooperative? Who regulates these farmers? What prevents diversion? What safeguards exist? What does Uganda gain?” she said.

“We welcome these questions. In fact, responsible institutions should welcome difficult questions.”

Lumumba stressed that UMCHICS is not advocating for general legalisation or recreational use of cannabis, but for farmers operating within Uganda’s regulated legal framework.

“Our answer is not that cannabis should simply be accepted because it is commercially interesting. Our answer is that where farmers operate under a lawful licensing framework, they can be organised around responsibility,” she said.

“A licence is not a licence to ignore society. It is an obligation to comply,” she added.

Under Uganda’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, 2024, cannabis remains a controlled substance, while the law provides for specified licensed activities, including certain medical uses, subject to regulatory requirements.

Lumumba said the cooperative intends to promote a culture in which farmers understand production standards, quality requirements, record keeping, traceability and environmental responsibility.

“Our cooperative therefore seeks to build a culture in which the farmer understands production, quality, records, traceability, environmental responsibility and the conditions under which the farmer is authorised to operate,” she said.

She also rejected suggestions that the cooperative was intended to promote drug abuse or undermine Government regulation.

“We are not here to encourage recreational consumption. We are not here to tell Ugandan parents that their concerns about drugs are misplaced. We are not here to replace the Government or its regulatory institutions. We are here with licensed farmers. And they are here as a cooperative,” Lumumba said.

She said collective responsibility would be particularly important in a sensitive and tightly regulated sector, where the actions of individual members could affect other farmers and the wider industry.

“A cooperative succeeds when its members understand that individual freedom comes with collective responsibility. Our members must understand that their actions affect not only themselves but also the reputation of every other member and the market that we all operate in,” she said.

“One farmer’s failure can damage an entire sector. One farmer’s dishonesty can undermine public confidence. One farmer’s disregard for compliance can make responsible farmers appear irresponsible. That is why this cooperative matters,” she added.

Lumumba said UMCHICS wants compliance, quality and traceability to become part of its institutional culture.

“We want compliance and quality to become part of our culture. We want traceability to become part of our culture. We want democratic accountability to become part of our culture. And we want our members to be judged not simply by what they grow, but by how responsibly they operate,” she said.

She described the first AGM as an opportunity to establish systems of governance and transparency within the cooperative.

“Our first AGM therefore represents a commitment to governance. We will discuss our finances, our members, our systems. We will discuss our challenges and our opportunities. And where we have weaknesses, we must have the courage to acknowledge them and improve,” Lumumba said.

She said the cooperative movement is built on the principle that people with common economic interests can achieve more by working together, adding that UMCHICS must demonstrate that principle within the emerging medical cannabis and industrial hemp sector.

“Our ambition is not merely to create another organisation. Our ambition is to create a professional institution that earns the confidence of farmers, regulators, investors, partners, all stakeholders and the wider Ugandan public. We begin today,” she said.

End