Sierra Leoneans Calls For The Legalization of Marijuana in The Country

Sierra Leoneans in the Sierra Leone Rastafarian Community has called for the legalization of Marijuana in the country.

The Rastafarian Council had in December 2020 sent a 12,000 signatory petition to the Government of Sierra Leone to propose for the Legalization and Decriminalization of marijuana in the country.

Mohamed Elijah Gegra, Chief Advocate and Lead Petitioner of the Council identified the economic and medical values that developed countries have realized after legalizing marijuana.

He furthered that the petition has been signed by 12,000 signatories across the country all consenting to decriminalize the planting and consumption of marijuana and calling for it to be legalized.

Ibrahim Bai Koroma, Executive Director of Citizens Rights Network Sierra Leone said as a Civil Society and a Human Rights Activist he was ready to support the petition for the legalization and decriminalization of marijuana maintaining that its economic value can develop the individual and the country as a whole.

Aiah Nabieu Mokuwah, Executive Director of the Institute for Drugs Control and Human Security said he has registered more than 400 marijuana growers adding that he is in support of Government to legalize and decriminalize marijuana.

Theophilus Sahr Gbenda informed that they are appealing to the Government to decriminalize marijuana for effective control.

Gegra added that many States in America and other countries like Canada, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, South Africa, Russia and have legalized marijuana as an international herb rhetorically asking: Why not Sierra Leone?

According to him, the herb is highly efficacious and can medically cure dangerous disease like tuberculosis and asthma.

He added that it also has spiritual benefits, serves as an appetizer with advantages of enriching users’ creative intelligence, intellectual faculties and recreational potentials.

In his concluding statement he made mention of the youth beating the odds of life by engaging in the cultivation of marijuana and being peddlers just to make financial ends meet saying some do take it to forget harsh economic times stating that marijuana is in no way harmful.