THE Drug Enforcement Commission wishes to respond to the article that appeared in the Zambia Daily Mail newspaper on 3rd September 2012 entitled: 'Legalising marijuana; to smoke or not to smoke?' written by Professor Kenneth Mwenda, and to the letter written by Robert Sharpe addressed to the Editor of the same newspaper on 6th September 2012 on the subject of marijuana.

It was sad to note that, to a large extent, Professor Mwenda's article was skewed towards inciting Rastafarians to push for the legalisation of cultivation, sale and use of cannabis in Zambia. For instance, the author questioned why Rastafarians in Zambia cannot bring a court order before the High Court against the law that prohibits the cultivation, smoking, selling or buying of cannabis.

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THE Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has maintained that marijuana is an illegal substance that shall continue to attract punishment by law in Zambia.

The DEC was responding to an opinion authored by US-based Zambian Professor Kenneth Mwenda who wants to see the drug legalised.

Marijuana is a dry, shredded green, brown or grey mixture of flowers, stems, seeds, and leaves obtained from the hemp plant scientifically known as Cannabis sativa.

DEC public relations officer Samuel Silomba told the Zambia Daily Mail in a statement that there is no credible research both locally and abroad that supports Prof. Mwenda's desire to have the drug legalised.

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In a Huffington Post article titled, Marijuana legalisation: More 100 college professors express support for Colorado's legal plot measure, published online on August 28, 2012, Matt Ferner reports that: "The more than 100 professors represent many different fields of study from law, health, economics and criminal justice from various universities around the nation including some professors from CSU as well as former colleagues of President Obama's during his time as a professor at University of Chicago Law School."

Fermer continues, as he cites a professorial source: "... 'The time has come to take a more rational approach to marijuana policy,' Thomas Ginsburg, University of Chicago Law School professor, said in a statement.

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TWO Patriotic Front officials from Munali Constituency yesterday stormed the Post Newspapers head office half dressed in protest against the killing of a seven-year-old boy in Garden Compound by DEC officers.

PF Munali Constituency Given Lwensha and his publicity secretary Mwenya Matafwali challenged women in the country to condemn the government on the killing of innocent children by police.

The boy was last Tuesday killed while another minor sustained severe injuries after they were shot at by armed Drug Enforcement Commission officers after confusion erupted in the area as they were trailing a suspected drug trafficker.

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THE Anglican Diocese of Lusaka says it is greatly dismayed by the law enforcement agencies' lack of respect and honour for human life.

In a press statement released by the Anglican Diocese of Lusaka, Diocese Bishop David Njovu is demanding an apology from the government over the shooting of a seven-year-old boy in Garden compound on Tuesday by Drug Enforcement Commission officers.

"The people they are supposed to protect are the ones they are killing in cold blood without shame," Bishop Njovu stated.

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