SANDTON, SOUTH AFRICA APRIL 29: Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies during the India-South Africa Business Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre on April 29, 2018 in Sandton, South Africa. The event, themed around Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi, was to honour the two countries through collaborations and shared histories through art. (Photo by Gallo Images / Sunday Times / John Liebenberg)
SANDTON, SOUTH AFRICA APRIL 29: Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies during the India-South Africa Business Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre on April 29, 2018 in Sandton, South Africa. The event, themed around Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi, was to honour the two countries through collaborations and shared histories through art. (Photo by Gallo Images / Sunday Times / John Liebenberg)
The Trade and Industry Department of South Africa is looking into ways they can use cannabis in order to boost the economy and create more jobs.
Minister Rob Davies has produced a written response to Inkatha Freedom Party MP Narend Singh, who asked the ANC representative if his department were considering the commercialisation of hemp farming.
How can cannabis benefit the economy?
Davies replied by saying that research is already underway for how the country can benefit from this. By allowing hemp farming to pass into law, it’s likely that public marijuana consumption would also become legal.
As Fin24 report, the minister said opportunities and obstacles to develop industrial capacity and capability for medicinal and related products would be assessed.
“The department has undertaken research that seeks to understand, from an industrial policy perspective, the obstacles and opportunities for South Africa to become an active and innovative player in this growing market.”
“The outcomes of this study will determine a way forward in terms of industrialising this sector in South Africa. Once the study has been concluded, I will engage the Ministers of Health and Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.” – Rob Davies.
Is it legal to smoke cannabis in South Africa?
Cannabis is widely used for medicinal purposes across the world, to help those who suffer from chronic pain. In fact, it has even been deployed to help reduce nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy patients.
Last year, private usage of cannabis was declared legal in South Africa. However, smoking it in public is still illegal. It’s up to Davies and his team to decide how any further legalisation would benefit the country.
Back in November, Constitutional Court heard the arguments for the complete decriminalisation of dagga. Julian Stobbs and Myrtle Clarke have fought numerous legal battles over the years to have the plant fully decriminalised.
Stobbs and Clarke have even been dubbed the “dagga couple”. Their persistence seems to be paying off, and it looks as if Mzansi is getting a step closer towards giving cannabis the “green” light.
