Zimbabwe’s government has cut medical cannabis licensing fees by as much as 90%, in an effort to increase the number of licence applications and grow the sector, as first reported by TalkingDrugs.

The changes were set out in July in Statutory Instrument 108 of 2026, which amends the Dangerous Drugs (Production of Cannabis for Medicinal and Scientific Use) Regulations. Under the new rules, the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) governs the licensing process.

What has changed

According to TalkingDrugs, the fees are now as follows:

  • New licence application processing: US$1,000, down from US$10,000.
  • Five-year licence renewal: US$7,500, down from US$50,000.
  • Inspection: US$400, down from US$2,500.
  • Import or export licence application: US$75, down from US$5,000. The same fee applies to importing or exporting samples.

Why the fees were cut

Zimbabwe legalised the cultivation and production of cannabis for medical and scientific use in 2018 under Statutory Instrument 62 of 2018. The move was welcomed by farmers, researchers and others in the industry, but TalkingDrugs reports that a divide emerged between large commercial operators and small-scale growers, largely because the licence fees were out of reach for many.

In the first four years, MCAZ issued 57 cannabis licences, and only 15 of those licence holders began cultivation. TalkingDrugs asked MCAZ how many licences have been issued and are currently active, but received no response.

At a media briefing on 4 August 2026 at the President’s Offices, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube said the government had cut the fees to attract more people to the sector. He said the state wanted to bring in more young people and move tobacco farmers into medical cannabis cultivation, and hoped lower fees would also draw foreign investment. Youth unemployment among 15 to 24-year-olds is reported to be nearly 50%.

Reaction and remaining obstacles

Marshall Malikebu, a farmer and cannabis advocate, told TalkingDrugs the move was commendable. He said it could create jobs, farm income and export earnings, and described medical cannabis as “a clear alternative path” as global demand for tobacco declines.

Kudzai Hwari, an agronomist and farmer, also welcomed the change but said the fees were still high for most people given the state of the economy. He said wealthier players would enter the industry only if a deal was profitable, and called for better buying prices, loans for farmers and for cannabis to be treated like any other crop.

Malikebu said the government should apply the support model it uses for tobacco, including contract farming, input schemes, guaranteed markets and affordable finance. He pointed to access to finance, reliable electricity and water, international compliance and testing standards, and regulatory clarity as continuing challenges.

A 2023 workshop of officials, licence holders and researchers raised similar concerns. It also noted that banks were reluctant to lend to cannabis farmers for fear of association with “dangerous drugs”, the term used in the regulations. Separately, TalkingDrugs cited research by Clemence Rusenga and others suggesting the sector is geared towards foreign investors and local businesses exporting finished products, with a risk of corporate capture. Possession of cannabis also remains criminalised in Zimbabwe.

TalkingDrugs says the government aims to build a billion-dollar cannabis industry by 2028.

Why it matters in the UK

Many UK private clinics rely on imported cannabis-based medicines, and the global supply chain is shaped by regulatory and cost decisions in producer countries such as Zimbabwe. In the UK, specialist doctors have been able to prescribe cannabis-based medicines since 1 November 2018.