Police in Mbale have arrested 13 suspects in different operations targeting illegal cannabis cultivation and consumption in the region.

The Uganda police spokesperson, ACP Kituuma Rusoke, while addressing the media during the weekly security brief at Naguru police headquarters on Monday, November 25, 2024, told the masses that police carried out a significant operation resulting in the arrest of 13 individuals involved in the illegal cultivation of marijuana.

Rusoke said that the action was part of a broader initiative to combat the growing issue of marijuana farming in the region, which has been linked to rising crime rates and social issues within the communities, causing long-term health risks of cannabis use, such as mental health effects and increased cancer risk, among others.

“We took note of outcries in communities that forced local leaders to express concerns about the practice of marijuana cultivation in their communities destabilizing safety and youth education,” he said.

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According to the chairperson of Busoba sub-county in Mbale district, Obed Mwiri, marijuana farming has led to increased theft, domestic violence, and school dropouts; he therefore emphasized the need for continued police efforts to replace cannabis gardens with legitimate agricultural crops.

“My prayer is that, let the police continue the crackdown of marijuana farming as a way to eliminate school dropouts, domestic violence, theft, and others,” Mwiri said.

Although Uganda’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act of 2015 allows for the legal cultivation of medical marijuana under strict regulations, unauthorized farming remains illegal.

These developments reflect ongoing efforts by law enforcement in Uganda to address the challenges posed by illegal marijuana cultivation and its societal impacts.