Supertaal: Koeitjies & kalfies » Decriminalise dagga, says top expert

Tuis » Algemeen » Koeitjies & kalfies » Decriminalise dagga, says top expert

Wys: Vandag se boodskappe :: Stemmings :: Navigasie

Decriminalise dagga, says top expert [boodskap #66229 is 'n antwoord op boodskap #66239]

Vr, 13 September 2002 08:18

Wouter Plaasvark
Boodskappe: 1004
Geregistreer: Mei 2006

Karma: 0

Senior Lid

Die berig was gister op News24.

Die ou se aanbeveling is nie om dagga te wettig nie,
maar om die gebruik daarvan ligter te straf, met boetes
of gemeenskapsdiens.

Wouter

http://www.news24.com/News24/0,1113,2_1256394,00.html

12/09/2002 12:29 - (SA)

Decriminalise dagga, says top expert

Cape Town - A leading South African drug expert has called for the partial
decriminalisation of dagga, and further debate on the way forward.

Dr Charles Parry, director of the Medical Research Council's alcohol and
drug abuse research group, makes the call in the latest issue of the South
African Medical Journal.

"In the short term, consideration should be given to instituting civil
rather than criminal penalties for cannabis (dagga) possession, but
commercial cultivation or trade in cannabis should not be sanctioned," said
Parry.
"Debate is required on the way forward from here."

Civil penalties, he said, could be minor fines or community service.

Parry's article follows a similar call in September last year by the editor
of the journal, Dr Dan Ncayiyana, for the decriminalisation of dagga use and
a legal framework for a controlled domestic trade in the drug.

Parry, who also serves on the executive of South Africa's Central Drug
Authority, said international experience showed that decriminalisation, as
opposed to total legalisation, would not lead to increased use of dagga.
However, other issues that needed to be considered included potential harm
posed by dagga use; the effect a policy shift would have on public health,
the criminal justice system, the use of other drugs, dagga cultivation and
international relations; and public opinion.

Negative effects
He said the negative effects of dagga use - respiratory disease, dependence,
adverse effects on adolescent development, subtle cognitive impairment and
the worsening of psychosis - were likely to affect certain people only, and
typically resulted from heavy or sustained use.

Liberalisation of dagga policy would mean substantial savings in law
enforcement costs. In February this year alone, 4 613 people were jailed on
charges related to possessing and using dagga, and 1 407 for dealing or
growing.

"It is also possible that a policy shift would increase respect for the law
since current laws on cannabis are widely broken with relative impunity," he
said.

Countries that had changed their dagga policy had generally not experienced
a resultant rise in hard drug use, although the close relationship between
dagga use and Mandrax in South Africa was a complicating factor.

Full legalisation would put South Africa in contravention of certain United
Nations conventions to which it was signatory, and was unlikely to be
welcomed by some of its trading partners.

Depending on the policy choice, decisions might also have to be made about
whether dagga should be subject to excise duties, whether advertising should
be allowed, and whether purchase should be age-restricted.

"It is important that any legislative change does not signal a decrease in
concern about the possible health problems associated with cannabis use,"
said Parry.

In a News24 poll published in July 58% of the 2455 respondents said dagga
should be decriminalised in South Africa, while 41% disagreed.