The National Drug Master Plan, the country’s blueprint on substance abuse, has called for thorough investigation into whether the decriminalisation or legalisation of dagga is needed in South Africa.
The master plan, formulated by the Central Drug Authority, a state advisory body on substance abuse, was approved by the cabinet about a month ago and implemented with immediate effect.
The head of the Institute for Security Studies’ crime and justice programme, criminologist Liza Grobler, said decriminalising drugs would weaken gangs as their main source of power and income would be ruined.
Authorities, including Community Safety MEC Dan Plato, were against decriminalising the use of drugs.
The authors of the master plan said in the field of substance abuse it is generally accepted that no single approach such as criminalising or decriminalising substances or abusers would solve the problem of substance abuse.
When it came to dagga, the master plan said it, was ‘well known’ that dagga was the second-most used dependence-forming substance in South Africa.
It said that nine years ago, preparations were made for a position paper on dagga started and three years ago this paper was presented for consultation.
But the master plan said the stance towards dagga in South Africa and other countries had since changed and further research become necessary.
“There is a need for an in-depth investigation of the dynamics of (dagga) use and related harm in South Africa, as well as the relevance of current international/local policies regarding (dagga) use, including measures such as legalisation and/or decriminalisation,” the master plan said.
The master plan said the response would involve collecting data on drug-affected driving and developing a way to test this at the roadside.
In terms of addressing substance abuse, the master plan said it would look at focusing on a specific community, instead of a national solution and devising a strategy for that community.
– Applying and developing evidence-based solutions.
– Introducing a monitoring and evaluation approach for formulating results including looking at targets and the outcomes of a strategy.
Protea Glen communication officer, Constable Vincent Mashiteng, said it will not be easy for the government to legalize dagga since the community is concerned about the dagga smokers.
“Dagga smokers will take advantage of the law and smoke it everywhere they want because it will be legal for them to smoke it and we will have no right to arrest any smoker,” he said.
Mashiteng said it will be better if they will use dagga as a medication rather than smoking it.
