After consideration and approval by the
cabinet, in its meeting of October 12, 2020, the Rwandan parliament has passed an order providing for legal use, cultivation,
processing and distribution of marijuana, an official source confirmed Wednesday.
“The operations related to cultivation, distribution and use of cannabis and cannabis products are performed in private or public
establishments that have been given a licence thereof from the competent authority and must be performed at the places of business of those establishments or at such other place as may be approved by the competent authority,” the law reads.
Eight types of licences, permits and certificates will be issued depending on what the investor is interested in across the value
chain.
The licences and permits include the cultivation licence; the import permit for seeds, genetic materials and other planting material; the export permit for them and other planting materials; and the cannabis products processing licence.
The others include; the cannabis products import permit; the cannabis products export permit; the finished cannabis products registration certificate and the research licence.
Each licence and permit is categorical and broken down to specific activities.
Failure to comply amounts to heavy penalties.
For example, medical use of marijuana products can only be made on the condition that they are prescribed by a specialist medical doctor.
Meanwhile, the competent authority suspends a licence if its holder does not comply with provisions of the ministerial order and those of relevant laws or regulations.
The operator whose licence has been suspended may appeal to the competent authority within a period of one month from the date of notification of the decision of suspension of the licence.
An operator of activities related to cannabis and cannabis products who violates the licence conditions commits a fault.
In case of recidivism, the administrative fine is doubled.
Each licence is renewable and lasts for five years.
CU/as/APA