One needs to understand the difference between decriminalized and legalized.
Cannabis Decriminalized
In South Africa, cannabis was decriminalized by the Western Cape High Court ruling for a host of reasons including that its criminalization, for personal use by consenting adults, was in fact unconstitutional.
But one needs to understand the difference between decriminalized and legalized.
LEGAL: The use of cannabis is highly regulated, and only allowed to be consumed in private, by adults over the age of 18 years.
ILLEGAL: The recreational use of cannabis in private is legal, many aspects of producing, processing, storing, possessing, transporting and selling it are still against the law.
LEGAL: One can only have a limited quantity in your possession, equivalent to what can be personally consumed which is quantified by the law as a maximum of 600g per individual in their private space or 100g in a public place but kept out of public view.
ILLEGAL: Consuming cannabis in public spaces remains a criminal offense. Supplying a minor, i.e. a child under the age of 18 years, with any form of recreational cannabis is a serious offense. In summary any deviation from the legally defined recreational use, possession or cultivation of cannabis by an adult in private is a criminal offense.
It is very important to be informed about the legal limits that apply to the acquisition and consumption of recreational cannabis products so that you do not find yourself on the wrong side of the law.
