According to the Namibian, the country’s Cabinet has approved in principle, a draft bill aimed at controlling illegal drugs and regulating the supply of toxic chemicals and substances. That’s according to a statement issued on 5 November 2026 by Information and Communication Technology Minister Emma Theofelus (pictured here).
She said the Bill will now go to public consultation stage, allowing Namibians to give their views, before going back to Cabinet for review and a final decision on whether to approve or amend it.
The proposed law aims to regulate the supply of toxic chemical inhalants and prevent the illegal manufacture and sale of drugs.Theofelus says Cabinet has authorised a 60-day nationwide public consultation process to allow Namibians and other interested parties to give their views on the bill.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security will conduct the consultations through the police.
Theofelus says the ministry must use the views collected to revise the bill before submitting it to Cabinet for final approval.
The bill will then go to the cabinet committee on legislation for further consideration.
The proposed law has not yet come into effect.
Meanwhile, the Ganja Users of Namibia (GUN) has called on the government to ensure that the new law does not punish adults for possessing drugs for personal use.
GUN secretary general Borro Ndungula told the Namibian on 5 November that the proposed law should protect people’s constitutional rights instead of continuing with harsh punishments under outdated legislation.
“The true test lies in whether this bill respects fundamental constitutional rights or simply repackages punitive, apartheid-era approaches under new legal terms,” he said.
Ndungula said Namibia’s current drug laws date back to 1971 and have led to the prosecution of thousands of people.
He argued that parts of the existing law undermine people’s rights to fair trials and administrative justice.
Ndungula said the new law should distinguish between adults who possess drugs for personal use and those involved in illegal drug trafficking.
He said punishing people for personal drug possession creates criminal records, affects their livelihoods and puts pressure on the justice system.
“Criminalisation drives people away from seeking health support. We need evidence-based education, public health resources and economic opportunities – not simply harsher penalties or higher statutory fines,” he said.
Ndungula also called on the government to consider laws allowing the regulated use of industrial hemp and medical cannabis.
He said the government should focus on public health, education and support for people affected by drug use rather than relying mainly on criminal punishment.
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