| dc.description.abstract | Cannabis is a drug plant. People use the dried leaves, seed oil, and other parts
of the cannabis plant for recreational and medicinal purposes. It can have a
pleasurable effect and may soothe the symptoms of various conditions, such
as chronic pain.
It is prudent to say that the first written record of the plant consumption and
growing is in South Africa. Jan van Riebeeck, who ordered officers of
the Voorman to purchase "daccha" in Natal for trade with the Khoikhoi.
The Dutch East India Company attempted to establish a monopoly on its
sale, and to that end prohibited cultivation of the plant by Cape settlers from
1680. However, the ready availability of cannabis in the wild and through
trade with indigenous peoples meant that there was little profit to be made.
Consequently, the prohibition was lifted in 1700.
Beginning in 1860, the Natal Colony began to import Indian workers (called
"coolies" at the time) to supplement their labour force. These Indians brought
with them the habit of consuming cannabis and hashish, which blended with
local, extant African traditions. The European authorities were concerned by
this practice, believing it sapped the vitality of their workers; consequently, in
1870, Natal's Coolie Law Consolidation prohibited "the smoking, use, or
possession by and the sale, barter, or gift to, any Coolies whatsoever, of any
portion of the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa) ..."
Over 10 countries have now legalized marijuana, these include,
Lesotho. The high-altitude, landlocked kingdom encircled by South Africa,
was the first country in the continent to legalise medicinal cultivation of weed
in 2017, South Africa, Netherlands, Canada, Colombia, United States,
Rwanda, Morocco. The legality of cannabis for medical and recreational use varies by country,
in terms of its possession, distribution, and cultivation, and (in regards to
medical) how it can be consumed and what medical conditions it can be used
for. These policies in most countries are regulated by three United
Nations treaties: the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the
1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and the 1988 Convention
Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic
Substances. Cannabis is classified as a Schedule I drug under the Single
Convention treaty, meaning that signatories can allow medical use but that it
is considered to be an addictive drug with a serious risk of abuse.
The use of cannabis for recreational purposes is prohibited in most countries;
however, many have adopted a policy of decriminalization to make simple
possession a non-criminal offense (often similar to a minor traffic violation).
Others have much more severe penalties such as some Asian and Middle
Eastern countries where possession of even small amounts is punished by
imprisonment for several years. Countries that have legalized recreational use
of cannabis are Canada, Georgia, Malta, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand,
and Uruguay, plus 19 states, 2 territories, and the District of Columbia in
the United States and the Australian Capital Territory in Australia.
Commercial sale of recreational cannabis is legalized nationwide in two
countries (Canada and Uruguay) and in all subnational U.S. jurisdictions that
have legalized possession except Washington, D.C. A policy of limited
enforcement has also been adopted in many countries, in particular
the Netherlands where the sale of cannabis is tolerated at licensed
coffeeshops.
Countries that have legalized medical use of cannabis
include Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, C
ostaRica, Croatia, Cyprus, CzechRepublic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, Ge
rmany, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembo
urg, Malawi, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North
Macedonia, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Rwanda, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand,
the United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Others
have more restrictive laws that allow only the use of certain cannabis-derived
pharmaceuticals, such as Sativex, Marinol, or Epidiolex. In the United States,
37 states, 4 territories, and the District of Columbia have legalized the medical
use of cannabis, but at the federal level its use remains prohibited.
Interestingly Njaja (cannabis) and Mirra (khat), although designated as
noncommercial herbs, there use both medically and economically cannot be
underestimated, neighboring countries like Kenya and Ethiopia have actually
delegalized their trade, and have adopted an open policy for khat as a very
major source of economic production, by way of comparison khat as a source
of income in Ethiopia and Kenya beats all our exports combined. It’s also
prudent to note that where tea grows khat will easily grow, in fact several
planes ferry khat on daily basis to Mogadishu and Kenya on average earns
about to there million dollars out of khat.
If we are to argue in terms of the level of intoxication it can be argued that
one beer bottle is equivalent to several kilograms (which would be several
sacks full) of Cannabis which is practically impossible for one to consume in
a single day. This therefore poses the question is it not time to delegalize these
herbal plants and advocate for an open policy for cannabis and other herb
medicinal plants. | en_US |
