South
Africa’s highest court on Tuesday legalized the use of marijuana in private
places. Pro-marijuana activists who include members of the Rastafarian
movement and traditional healers greeted the ruling with loud applause. They
have held marches over the years to demand that the law allow people to smoke
‘weed’, which is called ‘dagga’ in South Africa.
In a
unanimous ruling read by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, the Constitutional
Court decriminalized home consumption, saying “the use of cannabis must be for
the personal consumption of the adult”. The ruling also approved growing
marijuana for personal consumption.
rules
Stobbs and Myrtle Clarke‚ known as the “Dagga Couple”, joined the case, and
asked the court to strike down laws banning the use‚ cultivation and sale of
marijuana.
He
added that it would not be a criminal offense for an adult person to use or be
in possession of cannabis in private for their personal consumption in private.
However,
the judgment did not specify the amount that can be used by an adult in private
use.
“This
must be determined by parliament,” he said.
Parliament is now
expected to amend the laws that criminalize cannabis following the court
ruling.
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