Rural dagga farmers – the same ones highlighted by Ramaphosa – say they'll be 'criminalised' by new laws
Chief among the group's concerns are the myriad of "arbitrary" limitations on plant size, numbers of plants, and concentrations of cannabinoids
Thursday, June 2, 2022
Traditional cannabis growers in the rural Eastern Cape, the same ones assured of inclusion by President Cyril Ramaphosa, are objecting to proposed laws aimed at regulating the use and possession of the plant. South Africa's cannabis industry received a major boost from the Constitutional Court's 2018 ruling that decriminalised private and personal use of the plant. The landmark ruling has been followed by an uptick in commercial ventures and the development of a Cannabis Master Plan tasked with industrialising the plant, tapping into a R28 billion sector and supporting up to 25,000 jobs. The Umzimvubu Farmers Support Network (UFSN) argues that the Bill, in its current form, would "criminalise the amaMpondo cannabis farmers" and threaten their livelihoods instead of them benefiting from new frameworks.
