The Constitutional Court has delivered its long-awaited judgment on the legal status of private marijuana use in South Africa, declaring it legal within the confines of a home.
This judgment stems from the original controversial ruling in the Western Cape High Court in 2017, which stated that the possession, cultivation and use of dagga at home was allowed.
The High Court also ruled that Parliament should change sections of the Drug Trafficking Act, as well as the Medicines Control Act. The legislature has been given 24 months to do so.
In March 2017, Justice Dennis Davis handed down a judgement in the Western Cape High Court that declared sections of the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Acts as invalid and unconstitutional after the application brought by Rastafarian lawyer Gareth Prince, an advocate for the decriminalisation of marijuana.
Essentially, the ConCourt has declared that the ban on private use and the cultivation of dagga within a private home or property, is unconstitutional.
You can now smoke dagga legally at home, and grow enough for personal consumption. Unfortunately you cannot smoke it in public and dealing in the product is still considered illegal.
Following the ruling, many members of the community have kicked off celebrations:
#DaggaDecision Interesting scenes outside the Concourt. #Dagga pic.twitter.com/UfCjZpDnA6
— KhayelihleKhumalo (@KhayaJames) September 18, 2018
Bob Marley songs will be played ALL over SA today #dagga pic.twitter.com/cenCfmaup1
— Ru (@Ruann88) September 18, 2018
Excuse me while i light my spliff ☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️????????♂️??♂️??♂️????♂️??♂️??♂️??♂️??♂️??♂️??♂️??♂️#DaggaDecision #Dagga #Welovdagga pic.twitter.com/bQXbWTKMes
— #Venda La #Nwali ???⛏ (@Makwe2) September 18, 2018
#dagga #weed #Growhouse #puffpuffpassmotherfucker pic.twitter.com/ulnJwBh8mY
— ???? (@QueenBadegg) September 18, 2018
Yoh, Prince, you fought for this one hey! God bless you! #Dagga pic.twitter.com/ciUMX7hEPY
— kefiloe (@KayFeeLow) September 18, 2018
#Dagga #DaggaDecision pic.twitter.com/muViKXHLem
— FunekaLungeloRichards (@funekalungelo) September 18, 2018
Now the police must go fight serious crime and leave people to enjoy their herb #Dagga pic.twitter.com/uFcTwq0oQG
— Mokgaga (@katlegovic) September 18, 2018
What a time to be alive!!! 2018 will be remembered for this constitutional judgement!!! Historic! Landmark! Proud than ever to be a stoner, in private. ? #Dagga #DaggaCouple pic.twitter.com/uljpglwpKU
— Lesego Makube (@LesegoMakube) September 18, 2018
The Constitutional Court has decriminalised the use and possession of #dagga in private use by adults. Parents : watching u like pic.twitter.com/mK4oCWafyr
— #LAYLOwGEAR (@Marothi64) September 18, 2018
#Dagga pic.twitter.com/PJaL1Kn23K
— M.KiNG (@kingdombossman) September 18, 2018
Legalized, mzansi is about to get lit asf #Dagga pic.twitter.com/300f9xFFdH
— Yeyeye (@StheSgubhu) September 18, 2018
The Constitutional Court has just decriminalised the use of #dagga.
South Africans be like … pic.twitter.com/ubEQRArBIO — ☆Raeesa Kimmie☆ (@RaeesaK) September 18, 2018
Pictures: Unsplash