A few months ago we posted an article about the South African National Cannabis Working Group’s 2013 Cannabis Position Paper. It is a very comprehensive and important document regarding cannabis’ past, present and potential future in South Africa. However, something covered in the report had been nagging at me ever since penning the article.

Below is an urgent plea from member of Parliament Dr. Mario Oriani-Ambrosini, author of the Medical Innovation Bill, a bill which aims to legalize Cannabis in South Africa for medical and industrial purposes:

The Medical Innovation Bill, a bill to legalize Cannabis in South Africa for medical, economic and industrial purposes, was introduced in parliament today.

The bill was submitted by Member of Parliament, Mario GR Oriani-Ambrosini from the Inkatha Freedom Party. The Medical Innovation Bill aims to make provision for innovations in medical treatments by legalising the use of cannabis for medical, economic and industrial purposes.

Cape TimesLawyer Garreth Prince leaves the the Western Cape High Court where he has launched an application challenging the validity of laws that render dagga illegal. Picture: MICHAEL WALKER

Cape Town - A Rastafarian lawyer is challenging the legislation that outlaws dagga.

In an application lodged at the Western Cape High Court last month, Garreth Prince asks for certain sections of the Drugs and Drugs Trafficking Act, the Medicines and Related Substances Act and the Criminal Procedure Act to be declared invalid.

He is also asking for (among other things):

* A moratorium on all arrests for the use, possession, cultivation or transportation of small amounts of dagga - for personal use - should Parliament be ordered to “correct” the impugned provisions.

A RASTAFARIAN lawyer convicted before on two counts of dagga possession appeared in the Simons Town Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Gareth Prince, 42, his wife Juanita Adams, 40, and daughter Samantha Adams, 19, were arrested at their Glen Cairn home on Wednesday.

His pro bono lawyer, Naven Pillay, told the court Prince used the substance on a “strictly religious basis”.

In 2002, the Cape Law Society refused to admit Prince as an attorney because he had two criminal convictions for possession of dagga.

At the time, Prince said he would not stop smoking what is regarded by Rastafarians as a “holy herb”.

He later lodged an application with the Constitutional Court for the substance to be legalised.

But this was rejected.

Eddie Koch

South Africa’s first legal dagga plot—- an experimental project near Rustenburg in the North West province—- has just completed pioneering research which could provide farmers with a lucrative new cash crop.

The Tobacco and Cotton Research Institute (TCRI) recently produced a report on a two-year research project aimed at developing a biological model for industrial hemp. This plant cannot be used as a drug but will have massive value as an industrial crop.