It is somewhat legal in South Africa to get baked on your property. Yes, that’s right, just yesterday the South African Constitutional Court presided by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo ruled that the act was an infringement on the personal space and privacy of South Africans who enjoy Mary Jane‘s company.
“The right to privacy is not confined to a home or private dwelling. It will not be a criminal offence for an adult person to use or be in possession of cannabis in private space,” Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo said on Tuesday.
“The judgment does not specify how many grams of cannabis can a person use or have in private.”
Earlier this year, head of the Trade and Industry Department, Minister Rob Davies made a public case for hemp production citing its potential positive impact on South Africa’s economy.
Despite this, the recent Western Cape High Court Ruling, High Court and eventual Constitutional Court rulings have been met with resistance. Some believe the legalization of the public or private use of Marijuana does not align with South African values. Well, this is ironic considering that South Africa is already the third largest producer of cannabis and that Cannabis is the most common illicit substance used in South Africa.
An article from The Sowetan makes a good point, the legalization of Marijuana will make the weed business cleaner and taxable. At present; Marijuana is not considered a hard drug associated with crime or social decay. Also, it gives law enforcement time to focus on actual crime like rape, corruption and murder.
Congrats Azania, you can finally roll up in peace…but in private!
