While marijuana support groups have welcomed the green light given by the government for the manufacture of cannabis for medicinal use, they have criticised the proposed guidelines attached to its usage. A Cape Argus report says the suggested framework would allow cannabis for medicinal purposes, but under strict regulations.

Said Jeremy Acton, from Iqela Lentsango, the Dagga Party of SA:

‘Doctors will have to jump through hoops to provide cannabis prescriptions, because the big pharmaceuticals do not want this to be available to people without their corporations being able to control production, supply and price. The Dagga Party and the entire dagga legalisation movement rejected any elitism and control from above as to who got licences to produce cannabis when this plant had been protected and cultivated by ordinary people for the 100 years of prohibition.’

Acton said that some within the ‘the cannabis-loving public’ would disregard this legislation because they saw it as a collusion between pharmaceuticals and government to appropriate this health resource. Alexander Downing from the Dagga Union of SA said that he felt there was a better way to tackle the issue, but the current outline was not it.

‘I can see a lot of South Africans opting to grow their own once this new legislation has been enacted. Will the police busts continue? If they do there will be a lot more South Africans choosing to fight for better, more affordable, equitable access in our country’s courts.’

Full Cape Argus report (subscription needed)