[4] In February 2020, Malawi's parliament legalized the cultivation and processing of cannabis for industrial and medicinal uses, but did not decriminalize recreational use in the country.
[9] The United Nations Development Assistance Framework report that in the late 1990s, estimated that up to 156,000 hectares (385,000 acres) in the country were devoted to the cultivation of marijuana.
Its quality has led it to out-perform marijuana grown in other countries in terms of sales in each market it is introduced in.
For Malawi and South Africa, it has led to an increase in marijuana tourism from holiday makers seeking cannabis.
[10] Legends and myths have developed surrounding the potency of the drug, as an example, there is a popular story about visitors that came to Malawi, tried chamba, and lost the will to return to their country of origin.
[12] Jamaican reggae musician Bob Marley once commented to the press that he liked its effects so much because it made him feel "invisible"[13] Malawi gains a significant amount of its tourism from the marijuana trade.
In the lake areas, many tourists purchase the drug and smoke it in the privacy of their hotel rooms or homes.
[9] Cannabis was widely used by the entire population as an intoxicant and as medicine in treating conditions like anthrax, dysentery, fevers, malaria, or snakebites.
A research study entitled, "Patients' Perceptions of Chamba (marijuana) Use in Malawi" was conducted in Zomba Mental Hospital was published in the International Journal of the Addictions in 1998.
[10] However, a recent World Bank study reported that Malawian farmers are being underpaid for their labor in the trade.
In 2000, the government briefly explored the possible legalization of Indian hemp, despite police warnings of potential abuse by cannabis growers.
[16] This was championed in parliament by Deputy Minister of Agriculture Joe Manduwa who argued that the plant could be a valuable alternative to tobacco.
[16] The idea was supported by member of parliament and medical doctor, Hetherwick Ntaba who argued that it is non-addictive.
Artist and photographer Neville Garrick, who was also Bob Marley's art director, designed the bottle with an image of African mask, banana leaves, and the Malawi flag.
[21] On an episode of strain hunters international, "Strain Hunters Malawi Expedition" (2010) by Green House Seed Company from Netherlands featured an episode on finding the source of Malawi Gold, which is popular in Netherlands, their country of origin.