A new bill for the regulation of cannabis has been drafted.
South Africa has been operating on a September 2018 ruling by the constitutional court that decriminalized cannabis for personal consumption.
However, there hasn’t been much clarity since then, and now the government wants to change that.
The Ministry of Justice has drafted a new Regulation of Cannabis Bill, and sent it to the national director of public prosecutions, the treasury and the department of health.
Once their reviews and opinions are heard, the draft will be tabled in cabinet and upon approval heard in Parliament.
If everything goes smoothly, the bill should be passed into law by September 2020.
For the first time, we will have clear guidelines on different terminologies, including outlining details of what private use entails – something that has remained contentious since the 2018 ruling.
According to a few who have seen the draft, these are some of the main points.
– A person can be in possession of a maximum of 600g of cannabis in a private dwelling. The household maximum (more than 1 person) is 1200g.
– A maximum of 60g of dried cannabis in a public setting.
– It is illegal to smoke cannabis in public.
– 10 year jail term for anyone caught selling or buying large quantities of cannabis.
– Two to six year jail term for anyone found with more than the individual maximum amount, but less than the trafficable amount.
Read: Cannabis Oil in South Africa.. Is it Legal, Where To Buy
