Marijuana support groups have welcomed the green light given by the government for the manufacture of cannabis for medicinal use, but criticised the proposed guidelines attached to its usage, says a Cape Argus report.

The suggested framework would allow cannabis for medicinal purposes, but under strict regulations such as permission from the Medical Control Council for use in exceptional circumstances by registered medical practitioners, and that patients may also only use it under supervision.

Jeremy Acton from Iqela Lentsango: The Dagga Party of South Africa said that now that the healing properties of cannabis were being recognised by the state, it raised the question why was it made illegal? “The answer is that it was made illegal to prevent people from getting access to this health resource, to allow pharmaceutical companies to achieve bigger markets for their patented medicines.”

“Doctors will have to jump through hoops to provide cannabis prescriptions, because the big pharmaceuticals do not want this to be available to people without their corporations being able to control production, supply and price. The Dagga Party and the entire dagga legalisation movement rejects any elitism and control from above as to who gets licences to produce cannabis when this plant has been protected and cultivated by ordinary people for the 100 years of prohibition.

“Our Section 27 Right to Access to health is guaranteed and upheld by this plant growing in our gardens and with public guidelines on how to make the oil safely. Cannabis provides health from its green parts and flowers and food from its seed.”

Acton said that some within the “the cannabis-loving public” will disregard this legislation because they see it as a collusion between pharmaceuticals and government to appropriate this health resource.

“We will continue to lobby and act politically to ensure that the people all get the right to this plant, and equitable participation in production for the broader economy…”

The report said Alexander Downing from the Dagga Union of South Africa, also reacted strongly to the news on social media by stating that he feels there is a better way to tackle the issue, but the current outline is not it.

“To be honest, as a patient, I would much rather pay a small licence fee annually to be able to grow a few of my own cannabis plants in the vegetable garden and use it how I see fit…

“I can see a lot of South Africans opting to grow their own once this new legislation has been enacted. Will the police busts continue? If they do there will be a lot more South Africans choosing to fight for better, more affordable, equitable access in our country’s courts.”

The government has given the green light for the manufacture of cannabis for medicinal use – with the IFP hailing it a “major victory” and tribute to its late MP, Mario Oriani-Ambrosini who fought for the legalisation of the drug.

IFP MP Narend Singh is quoted in a report in The Mercury as saying that a letter sent to him by the Medical Control Council’s working group on cannabis indicated it would publish its proposed guidelines on cannabis production for medicinal use following its presentation to the council last week.

“This is a major breakthrough and fantastic news for freedom of choice,” said Singh. “Mario had fought tirelessly for this and although he proposed cannabis beyond medicinal use to also include it for recreational use, we agreed to withdraw every clause relating to non-medicinal use in our efforts to ensure it becomes legal.”

“Thousands of patients are already using cannabis oil, which comes at a premium price, and we wanted it to be made freely accessible so that the patient going to Addington or any other state hospital can request this without the exorbitant costs associated. Patients must have the freedom of choice,” said Singh.

The report says Ambrosini placed the debate over cannabis use in the spotlight in Parliament in 2014, making a direct, impassioned plea to President Jacob Zuma to decriminalise its use. He lost his battle with lung cancer six months later. The current framework allows for use of cannabis for medicinal purposes, but under strict regulations which include requesting permission from the Medical Control Council for use in certain exceptional circumstances by registered medical practitioners. Patients may also only use it under supervision.

The guidelines to be published will deal with how, specifically, the drug can be produced for medical use.

South Africa’s Anti-Drug Alliance said in the report that the public and professional awareness needed to be improved around the issue. “Health practitioners, doctors specifically, have not been educated or trained on cannabis as a treatment alternative. They need massive education once production becomes legal.

“They need to unlearn a lot of the negative myths around cannabis if patients’ right to cannabis can be fully supported by health professionals,” said the organisation’s Quintin van Kerken.

Singh agreed, warning that the production of cannabis could be monopolised if not handled correctly. “Production must be aimed at making it a medicinal, affordable drug for those who need it. It should not be an exclusive drug of choice for those who have the money. That is what we are arguing for.”

The report says cannabis oil use has fanned international debate in medical circles, with advocates of medicinal cannabis claiming its effectiveness in pain management and treatment of diseases including cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy.

The guidelines would be up for public comment in the coming weeks, Singh said. Singh said the IFP was pleased that the government and its agencies had sped up the process for access to medical marijuana. “There seems to be a realisation that we cannot be left out as a country with permitting the use of medical marijuana. Other countries are doing that under very strict conditions,” he is quoted in a Polity report as saying.

Singh, however, added that the public should not think that marijuana would become fully legal overnight. He said there would be a strict regulatory process before people had access to it. He added that research was required before a Bill could be passed to legalise the substance for medical use. “Even now, there is a perception when people see marijuana headlines that it will be legal. Our concern is that we don’t want this to be a free-for-all. Recreational users must not feel they can just go plant this and use it in whatever form they want.”

Singh said marijuana should be strictly regulated by government, but suggested that it should be available to all South Africans for whom it could be helpful. “The availability should include government hospitals.”

Singh went on to say that the public should be responsible in responses to the public comment on the Bill. “The public should consider that this substance is not completely illegal. Its uses have been earmarked for pain relief.”

Cape Argus report

The Mercury report

Polity report