By Michael Karanja Gatheru, Standard Media on October 8, 2023

There is a growing conversation in Kenya regarding the push to either de-criminalise or legalise cannabis. Those who are for or against the legalisation of cannabis agree that “it should be legalised for medical purposes”. But isn’t medical cannabis already legal in Kenya?

The Narcotics Act has criminalised the possession of cannabis in Section 3(1). The section criminalising possession states “3(1) Subject to subsection (3), any person who has in his possession any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance (Cannabis) shall be guilty of an offense.

Subsection 3 of the Act states that “3(3) Subsection (1) shall not apply to…(b) a medical practitioner, dentist, veterinary surgeon or registered pharmacist who is in possession of a narcotic drug (Cannabis) or psychotropic substance for any medical purposes; or (c) a person who possesses the narcotic drug (Cannabis) or psychotropic substance for medical purposes from, or pursuant to a prescription of, a medical practitioner, dentist or veterinary surgeon.”

– Read the entire article at Standard Media.