Cannabis Bill on its way to Parliament

Cabinet has approved the Bill regulating the private use of cannabis and setting the limit of the quantity that may be possessed by an individual. It criminalises the smoking of cannabis in public places. Justice Minister Ronald Lamola said the Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill would now be sent to Parliament, notes Business Day. The Constitutional Court in 2018 opened the gates for adult South Africans to legally grow and use cannabis privately, while criminalising commercial use despite its potential economic benefits. A report released in 2019 by Europe-based market intelligence and strategic consultancy Prohibition Partners showed that Africa’s legal cannabis industry could generate more than $7.1bn (R123bn) a year by 2023 if more of the continent’s big markets open up and follow the trend of legalisation seen in the US, Canada and Europe. In SA, the domestic market is expected to be worth almost R30bn by 2023.