South Africa’s Minister of Finance Tito Titus Mboweni has pledged to push for the legalisation of cannabis.
Mboweni on Thursday took to his Twitter page to share images of cannabis plants he found on a farm. The minister enquired from his followers if the plant should be cut down or allowed to grow, after which he also asked if it should be legalised.
“I found this growing at the Farm! Cut it down or allow it to grow? How did it get here? Should we just legalize this thing once and for all? I can see the responses!! Say it!!”
I found this growing at the Farm! Cut it down or allow it to grow? How did it get here? Should we just legalize this thing once and for all? I can see the responses!! Say it!! pic.twitter.com/voTFg67sXB
— Tito Mboweni (@tito_mboweni) January 9, 2020
He said a neighbour also has the plant growing in his yard and does not seem to be against its legalisation. He extolled the potential that legalised cannabis could have for the South African economy and the South African Revenue Service’s collections.
“The soil is ready in Magoebaskloof to grow it legally. The economy of Lusikisiki and Tzaneen is waiting for legal growth of the stuff!! R4bn plus!! Tax money.”
Cannabis in South Africa has been decriminalised in 2018 by the country’s Constitutional Court for personal consumption by adults in private. However, laws prohibiting use outside of one’s private dwelling and buying and selling cannabis still remain. Since regulations against the purchase of products containing cannabis still remain in effect, it also remains unclear how the ruling can be enforced as well.
After going through some of the replies to his questions, the minister decided that the majority was in favour and he pledged to propose it at the Cabinet.
“On this one, the majority says: LEGALIZE IT!! I will put the proposal to legalize it at the Cabinet Lekgotla this January. The People have demanded it.”
https://twitter.com/tito_mboweni/status/1215298577167241221
Below are some of the replies to the minister:
https://twitter.com/SpheMngoma/status/1215338165147447297
https://twitter.com/BoyzieMzamo/status/1215284500189544451
Dagga grows like weed (sorry) in our country so I’d see this as a message of how well suited SA is to be a leader in the global cannabis boom. Take the message to Cabinet – there’s a multi billion dollar industry waiting to explode. Lesotho is showing us the way. Sterkte Gov.
— Alec Hogg (@alechogg) January 10, 2020
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