Six years after dagga was decriminalized in South Africa, a bill aimed at resolving uncertainty in the industry is finally set to reach President Cyril Ramaphosa's desk.
On February 27, the National Council of States will pass the Private Cannabis Bill, introducing a new set of regulations governing the legal use, cultivation and transportation of dagga.
The bill received 40 votes in favor and only 3 votes against.
This bill was approved by Congress in November last year.
Following a 2018 Constitutional Court ruling, the personal and private cultivation, possession and use of dagga for adults has been decriminalized in South Africa.
However, the ruling left a big question mark over what constitutes a violation. The amount of dagga that can be legally used or cultivated. And the way authorities enforce the law is slowing down the industry.
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This bill addresses these deficiencies by providing clearer definitions of the term, removing dagga from crimes in terms of drug laws, and prescribing consequences for offenses such as trafficking in cannabis, supplying cannabis to children, and possession. I'm trying to address some of the certainty. Possession of excessive amounts of dagga without proper authorization.
The amount of dagga that will be classified as violating a particular regulation will be specified in further regulations.
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These restrictions do not apply to entities that have licenses or permits provided by other laws.