Rastafari Religious & Traditional medical Ganja bill
This document expects the reader to be up to date with SA Constitution, current, global, traditional –Religious/medical dagga research, (for Public comment only, comments open until 31st March 2017, please send your comments to rastafariunitedfront1@gmail.com)
SECTION A
RELINQUISH DAGGA LAWS
1. Cannabis, Dagga, Hemp should be exempted from all Acts of Law, such as the Drug & Trafficking Act of 1992 and any other Act or Law, with immediate effect. For religious use,
2. Any past or future act of law or regulation concerning cannabis may not:
2.1. Limit the rights of Rastafari to cultivate, possess, transport and use cannabis for Religious, medical or recreational purposes.
2.2 Limit the rights of children to access medical cannabis.
2.3 Criminalise any Rastafari practitioners for possession, cultivation and the use of cannabis.
SECTION B
FREE OTHERWISE LAW ABIDING POT-PRISONERS
All Rastafari prisoners convicted under the Drug & Trafficking Act of 1992, whom were convicted solely on the possession, dealing and/or trafficking of dagga should be released from prison with presidential pardon.
All Rastafari persons whom have been convicted under the Drug & Trafficking Act of 1992, whom were convicted solely on the possession, dealing and/or trafficking of dagga should receive presidential pardon and their criminal record cleared of all dagga offenses.
Addendum
Proposed Regulation
SECTION B POSSESION
1.Rastafari Adults are allowed to possess a50g quantity of dagga on them or at their property for medicinal and religious purpose
Rastafari priest to be allowed to carry 100g quantity of dagga on them or at their property ,congregation for medicinal and religious purpose
Each Household shall be allowed to grow six marijuana plants,
Each farm
SECTION C
cultivation, possessing, growing, processing, or transporting no more
than six marijuana plants, with three or fewer being mature, flowering
plants, and possession of the marijuana produced by the plants on the
premises where the plants were grown, provided that the growing takes
place in an enclosed, locked space, is not conducted openly or publicly,
and is not made available for sale
SECTION D MINORS
1. Persons under 18 are not allowed to use dagga recreationally however,
2. Children may be prescribed medical dagga for medical conditions by a registered traditional doctor.
SECTION E EDUCATION
1. Cannabis education must be implemented throughout the education system.
2. Cannabis education must be based on information that is scientifically accurate, honest & unbiased.
SECTION F PUBLIC SAFETY
1.Smoking in public
1.1. No distinction will be made between a dagga cigarette, bong (Water-pipe), dabs (Concentrates) and a tobacco cigarette in terms of smoking in public. Cannabis users will follow the same regulation to smoking in public as tobacco smokers.
2. Vaporizing in public
2.1. The use of a portable vaporizer in public will be permissible for strict medical conditions only where properly ventilated otherwise will be regarded as smoking in public.
SECTION G SALE & TAXATION
1. SALE
1.1. All dagga sold for recreational and medical application must undergo inspection for quality and impurities before it would be deemed fit for human consumption.
1.2. The sale of recreational dagga to under-18s is prohibited.
1.3. The sale of dagga by gangs & crime syndicates are prohibited.
Ganja as a cash crop
2. TAXATION
2.1 The sale of dagga is exempt of all taxes except where VAT TAX applies.
SECTION H
Bill implementation
1.RUF will engage all Rastafari stakeholders, Organisations, Mansions, Individual Rastas to acquire a centralised database of all their members details for Rastafari communities and practitioners in South Africa.
2.The centralised database will be submitted by RUF to the State(Public Safety). for issuing of Legal exemption permit to all members of Rastafari society.
3. Identification card is required for a Religious /medical marijuana user
Failure to produce the ID when requested by law enforcement will lead to criminal offence
4.Law enforcement leaders, RUF, Rastafari Mansions/organisation and city attorneys and policymakers should formworking groups to clarify the criteria for determining an illegal marijuana growingoperation
5. Officers and deputies need uniform guidance on how to establish probable cause to gaina warrant to search and seize illegal marijuana operations. A “Law Officer’s MarijuanaHandbook” – similar to the South Africa handbook created for liquor enforcement – shouldbe available to inform patrol officers on policies, procedures, protection gear, and otherimportant information regarding marijuana searches and seizures.
6.RastafariCannabis Control Commission; members; appointment; terms; chairman; secretary
(a) There shall be a commission known as the Rastafari cannabis control commission to have general supervision and sole regulatory authority over the conduct of the business of marijuana establishments as defined in Bill of Regulation of the General Laws. The commission shall consist of 1 commissioner and 2 associate commissioners who shall be appointed by the treasurer. Not more than 2 members of the commission shall be of the sameRastafari mansion/organisation. The commissioner shall serve a term co-terminous with the treasurer. The associate commissioners shall serve a term of 4 years. Any vacancy occurring for any reason other than the expiration of a term shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment.
(b) The treasurer shall appoint commissioners based on their experience or expertise in public health, law enforcement, social justice, the regulation and business of consumer commodities and the production and distribution of marijuana and marijuana products.
7.There shall be a Rastafari cannabis advisory board to study and make recommendations on the regulation of marijuana and marijuana products by Rastafari community. The board shall consist of 1 member from all mansions or Rastafari organisation representing a mansion.
1 Tribes of Israel
2. Nyahbingi
3. Bobo Shanti
4. Milchedek order
5. Bakehase
6. Sack Cloth Rasta
7. Marcus Garvey orthodox movement
8. Amhara House
9. Rastafari Healers
10. Khoisan Rastafari
11. Rub-ah –Dub
12. Bakhalipi
13. Rastafari Organisationsin South Africa
All shall be appointed by the regulator and shall consist of: 1 expert in marijuana cultivation, 1 expert in marijuana retailing, 1 expert in marijuana product manufacturing, 1 expert in marijuana testing, 1 board member or officer of a medical marijuana treatment center, 1 registered medical marijuana patient, 1 individual who represents marijuana retail
consumers, 2 experts in public health, 2 experts in law enforcement, 2 experts in social welfare or social justice, and 2 attorneys with experience providing legal services to marijuana businesses, marijuana consumers or medical marijuana patients in the commonwealth. Members of the board shall serve terms of 2 years. Members of the board shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for their expenses actually and necessarily incurred in the discharge of their official duties.. The board shall meet at the discretion of the commission. A majority of the members of the board present and voting shall constitute a quorum
Provision
Rastafari Visitors from out of state can only buy 25g of ganja at a time (compared to an50g at a time for residents)
It is a responsibility of the host to declare and acquire the temporary ID of Ganja use in South Africa regulating body.
We will appreciate all comments from public and our community community comments is 31st March 2017, and it will be followed by Rastafari Marijuana Round table to be announced thereof.
Regards,
Don Power