Grammy-nominated afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti, has urged the Nigerian government to consider legalising marijuana.
According to him, no one has been able to prove that marijuana use causes any disease.
He said Nigeria has lost its unique strain of marijuana because of the ban on it in the country.
The maverick singer said many countries include Israel, which is regarded by Nigerian Christians as “Holy Land” legalised marijuana.
Speaking in a recent Instagram live session with fans, Kuti said, “Nobody can show me any scientific evidence that links marijuana use to any disease.
“Africa used to have the best marijuana in the world but we’ve lost that strain of marijuana that they use to grow in Obiarukwu forest in Asaba and Sapele in the Delta region. We’ve lost it because she didn’t encourage the cultivation.
“Now, the West have the best marijuana. Germany is going to legalise it very soon. France, Britain and America are talking about it too. It’s already legalised in Canada.
“Has Nigeria government independently carried out any research on marijuana use? Even in Israel, the land of your ‘lord’, the ‘holy land’, marijuana is legal. In fact, Israel is at the forefront of medical marijuana research.”
Contrary to Kuti’s claim, the World Health Organisation, WHO, said “cannabis use can exacerbate schizophrenia in affected individuals; epithelial injury of the trachea and major bronchi is caused by long-term cannabis smoking.”
People who use marijuana have an increased risk of heart disease and heart attack, according to a study led by researchers at Stanford Medicine.