Lesotho
Africa
#89 of 196 worldwide
#13 of 54 in Africa
First African country to license medical cannabis cultivation (2017), mostly for export. Personal use remains illegal although matekoane is widely grown.
Score breakdown ▏world average
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Possession · 25%1/10adds 2.5 of 25 points
Cannabis (matekoane) is illegal to possess under the Drugs of Abuse Act 2008. Small amounts usually bring a fine, though prison is available.
Personal cultivation · 25%1/10adds 2.5 of 25 points
Growing without a licence is a crime: a conviction for harvesting cannabis carries a minimum of five years in prison or a fine of at least M20,000. Yet matekoane has been a staple cash crop for highland farmers for generations, mostly sold into South Africa.
Punishment & enforcement · 20%2/10adds 4.0 of 20 points
Fines for small amounts; the mandatory minimum for cultivation falls on small farmers.
Sharing & gifting · 10%1/10adds 1.0 of 10 points
Dealing is a crime with prison.
Consumption · 10%1/10adds 1.0 of 10 points
Use is an offence, widely ignored in rural areas.
Legal access · 10%0/10adds 0.0 of 10 points
No legal source for local consumers.
More context not part of the score
In 2017 Lesotho became the first African country to license cannabis cultivation for medical and scientific purposes. Licences are expensive and went mainly to foreign-backed companies; the sector has been dogged by allegations over how they were awarded, and traditional growers remain outside it.
No functioning programme for patients inside Lesotho.
All sources
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