South African lawmakers have approved a long-anticipated bill to legalize the possession and cultivation of marijuana by adults. The National Assembly passed the legislation, paving the way for potential approval by the bicameral Parliament’s National Council of Provinces. This reform follows a 2018 Constitutional Court ruling deeming the prohibition on simple possession and cultivation of cannabis unlawful and requiring legislative change within two years. The bill, introduced in 2020, does not specify possession or cultivation limits, which are expected to be addressed separately by the Justice and Correctional Services Minister. The legislation allows for private adult use, emphasizing that the sale of cannabis remains illegal. If approved by the National Council of Provinces and the president, the non-commercial legalization bill could set the stage for further regulations supporting the establishment of a marijuana market in the country. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa envisions the country entering the global medical hemp and cannabis industry, potentially creating over 100,000 jobs.
By FCCT Editorial Team
, an independent military force, and allied militias in Sudan raped several dozen women and girls in West Darfur’s capital, El Geneina, and those fleeing to Chad between late April and late June 2023, Human Rights Watch said today. The assailants appear to have targeted people because of their Massalit ethnicity and, in some cases, because they were known activists.){kind=link}