The South African Drug Policy Initiative (SADPI) says despite it welcoming the government’s recent announcements on cannabis more needs to be done to allow more legal access and use of it.
President Cyril Ramaphosa says government will fast-track regulations for the cannabis industry.
In his State of the Nation Address this week, he said that hemp and cannabis production can create around 130 000 new jobs.
SONA 2022 I Sibusiso Xaba on the regulatory framework of the production of cannabis, hemp products
Government is to review the policy and regulatory framework for a number of cannabis processes.
“The big problem is the Bill that is going through is completely inappropriate because of two main reasons. It doesn’t describe how this should be done. It also is discriminatory because if the bill says people can grow and use cannabis in their private homes. But millions of people, according to the Bill, they will not be allowed to grow – technically they can’t use it – because there are often children there. The only way it is going to happen is if they legalize cannabis completely and put it on the same sought of legal framework as we do with alcohol,” says Keith Scott, SADPI’s Chairperson.
SA government departments hear progress made on the development of cannabis master plan:
