Medics ask government to criminalize the use of cannabis

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Director of Butabika National Referral Hospital, Dr Juliet Nakku implored Members of Parliament to ignore the economic pressures and ban the production and sale of cannabis and khat.

Nakku said that their consumption contributes greatly to mental health cases and poses social and economic pressures to the government and families.

“Data from Butabika Hospital in 2022 showed that for the Financial Year 2021/2021, 25 per cent of young adults were admitted for alcohol and substance use problems. Of these 44.7 per cent had alcohol use problems, one third had cannabis use problems and 2.1 per cent were using stimulus including Khat,” said Nakku.

She argued that cannabis use ranks second to alcohol use among patients receiving rehabilitation at Butabika Hospital and it is associated with slow improvement and relapses.

Nakku made this appeal on Wednesday, 09 August 2023 while appearing before the Committee on Health with the Minister for Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng. Officials from the National Drugs Authority (NDA) were also in attendance.

The Committee on Health is receiving from stakeholders the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Bill, 2023.