Dagga nearly legal, MPs hear

Potential growers of cannabis for medicinal purposes could apply for licences before the year is out, it emerged in parliament yesterday.

Briefing the portfolio committee on health, the Medicines Control Council’s (MCC) Griffiths Molewa said they would approve regulations in the next few weeks.

Proposed guidelines for growing cannabis for medicinal purposes was published for comment in March. Hundreds of comments were received, including 175 from members of the public, 221 from associations and NGOs, four from industry associations and two from government departments.

The regulations were established to change the scheduling of cannabis from a banned substance to a prescribed substance for medical use.

“The MCC is meeting next week to approve these [regulations and application forms] and then they are for use by the public,” health director-general Precious Matsoso said.

Matsoso said the legalisation of cannabis use for medicinal purposes was a huge step and needs various government departments to buy in and assist.

“In terms of the growing process, the Agricultural Research Council has been applying, but now it’s a process that requires partnership between, among others, the department of agriculture, the department of science and technology and the department of trade and industry,” she said.

“I’m hoping that for this purpose there will be an inter-ministerial committee. It’s something that’s so significant it requires that kind of response.”

The growing of cannabis will not be a free-for-all as the department has to guard against the abuse of dagga. Strict requirements for growers will be set, including good agricultural practices. MPs were told hygiene would be the “cornerstone” of cultivating and growing dagga.

Strict security requirements would also be set. Patients who would qualify would include people suffering from severe and chronic pain, to those suffering from multiple sclerosis, cancer and HIV/Aids.

The use of cannabis for medical purposes was brought to the attention of parliament when cancer-ridden Inkatha Freedom Party MP Mario Oriani Ambrosini pleaded to change the law as he had been using cannabis for pain relief.

Ambrosini died in 2014. – ANA