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Six years after dagga was decriminalised in South Africa, a bill to clear up uncertainties in the industry is finally heading to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s desk.
On 27 February, the National Council of Provinces passed the Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill, which is set to introduce a new set of regulations to determine the legal usage, cultivation and transportation of dagga.
There were 40 votes in favour of the bill and only three against.
The bill was approved by the National Assembly in November last year.
Following a 2018 constitutional court ruling, the personal and private cultivation, possession and use of dagga for adults was decriminalised in South Africa.
But the ruling left huge question marks regarding what constitutes an offence; the amount of dagga that can be legally used or cultivated; and how the law should be enforced by authorities have blunted the industry.
READ | SA's budding cannabis businesses blunted by legal uncertainties, say industry players
The bill seeks to address some of these uncertainties by providing clearer definitions for terms, removing dagga as an offence in terms of the Drugs Act, and stipulating the consequences for offences such as dealing in cannabis, providing cannabis to a child and being in possession of excessive quantities of dagga without an appropriate permit.
The amount of dagga that will be classified as being in violation of certain rules will be stipulated in further regulation.
READ | High hopes that new cannabis bill will finally provide clarity
These limits will not apply to an entity that has acquired a license or permit as may be provided for in other legislation.
