It has been a long time since South Africa’s constitutional court decriminalised cannabis in September 2018 and those who have been waiting patiently for a new law on the regulation of the herb are in luck as one has just been drafted.
The wait is over and a new Regulation of Cannabis Bill drafted by the ministry of justice has been sent to the national director of public prosecutions, the treasury and the department of health among others. Their reviews are in and now cannabis-lovers need only wait for approval from Cabinet and for the draft to be heard in Parliament before it is open for public comment.
According to the Mail&Guardian the bill will be passed by September this year and contains clear guidelines as to how much a person can grow and possess, but purchasing or selling the good leaf will remain illegal.
While the bill falls short of addressing the licensing or commercial opportunities of cannabis, it does outline details for private use that are a step in the right direction.
Main Points of the new Regulation of Cannabis Bill
– Up to 600g of dried cannabis can be in the possession on any one person in a private dwelling with the household maximum with two or more adults present not exceeding 1200g
– A jail sentence of up to 10 years will still remain in place if anyone is caught purchasing or selling large quantities of marijuana
– Someone found in possession of more than the maximum individual amount of cannabis but less than the trafficable amount will still be jailed for between two to six years
– Individuals will be allowed to be in possession of a maximum of 60g of dried cannabis in a public setting but combustion in public will remain illegal.
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