Fiji Is Considering Hemp Legalization
By Frank Schuler
The hemp plant is arguably the most versatile plant on earth. Hemp has the power to clothe, to feed, and in some cases according to patients it also has the power to heal.
Nearly every type of textile or product that is made out of plastic can also be made out of hemp, and whereas plastic takes hundreds of years to decompose, products made from hemp decompose in roughly six months.
Hemp was cultivated for many years prior to being prohibited, and thankfully, hemp is making a major comeback across the globe. A big reason for that is the rise in interest in cannabidiol (CBD). Hemp plants are often packed with CBD.
Unfortunately, there are still a number of countries around the world that prohibit hemp, including Fiji. Fortunately, lawmakers in Fiji are working to change that, albeit slowly. Per FBC News:
The government is studying different laws before a decision on legalizing the cultivation, sale and export of industrial hemp can be made.
Responding to questions during budget consultations in Navua last night, Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said as a developing country, Fiji does not want to be blacklisted for legalizing industrial hemp.
He stresses that countries that have legalized marijuana and industrial hemp are the developed world.
The concerns of Fiji’s Minister for Economy regarding how his country will be treated at the international level are understandable, however, they are a bit overblown.
Many countries have now re-legalized industrial hemp, including developing nations, and none of them have been blacklisted by the international community.
The longer that Fiji waits to legalize hemp, the larger the economic opportunity cost will be for the developing nation. Legalizing hemp will create jobs, boost local economies, and generate revenue for Fiji, which are all things that the country desperately needs.
