In South Africa, medical cannabis is put to the test

In South Africa, cannabis is now legal for private and recreational use on March 31, following a ruling by South Africa's High Court. The South African Parliament now has two years to implement real regulation of cannabis, or return to the limbo of prohibition. Until now, the government continues to oppose this decision, Several officials and law enforcement agencies have announced that they will appeal.

Cannabis production on a commercial scale and its distribution remain illegal in South Africa, and several recent stories have brought the debate to a head.

Therapeutic use of cannabis

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This young mother prescribes cannabis for her 7-year-old son, who suffers from Costello syndrome, a rare disease that results in physical deformities and intellectual deficits. To treat him, she uses therapeutic cannabis drops designed to alleviate the symptoms of his illness. This mother is amazed by the benefits of cannabis on her child. She says: «The moment I put a drop of cannabis oil on his tongue, he calmed down. It really changed our lives. He was now able to play on his own and was no longer disturbing the other children at school».

The gap between the government and the patients who need cannabis to treat themselves is a major one. Gerd Bader, 49, is a cannabis producer. He transforms it into oil at the request of patients in a secret location. He tells Euronews The people who are suffering and dying right now can't wait two years for Parliament to decide whether or not to legalize cannabis. They need it now. I come to the aid of those whom the doctors have failed. And for that, I'm considered a criminal. He sells his remedy clandestinely in 2-gram bottles to patients for 600 rand, equivalent to around 40 euros.

BBC Africa reports: Should medical cannabis be legalized in South Africa?

The debate is controversial among specialists in South Africa. Indeed, a drug policy specialist and researcher at the University of Pretoria explains that «cannabis can be seen as an alternative when traditional medicines have been ineffective. As with any other substance, it can be an effective remedy for some people, and a poison for others». Nevertheless, he remains opposed to the government's current prohibition policy.

Focus on the Dagga Couple, South Africa's cannabis-defying couple

The Dagga Couple

Myrtle Clarke and Julian Stobbs are known as the «Dagga Couple», a nickname bestowed on them by the South African media in August 2010, following their arrest for cannabis possession. «Dagga» is local slang for the plant. At the heart of one of the country's most important trials today, they have been granted bail.

Since that day, they have been fighting against cannabis prohibition in Africa. Their trial went all the way to the Pretoria High Court, where the Trial of the Plant («the cannabis trial») will rule definitively on the issue in a few days' time.

A merciless battle

The Dagga Couple includes all the activity related to the case: a petition, the couple's motivations and a countdown to the end of the trial. Trial of the Plant. In addition, they claim that the laws prohibiting cannabis use are due to the apartheid that prevailed in South Africa at the beginning of the 20th century. They also explain that prohibition favors organized crime, as is the case in several countries. Finally, they recall the right to free medical care. «We are healthy individuals and we believe in the daily use of therapeutic cannabis, which helps strengthen our immune system. The medical marijuana has been used as a treatment for thousands of years,» they report.

They now claim to have a list of expert witnesses from all over the world, including sociologists, criminologists and toxicologists, who are willing to travel to South Africa and testify with them in court.

«Once the Constitutional Court has declared cannabis laws harmless, we intend to go to the International Court of Human Rights and tell all the world's governments that cannabis must never again be tried in court anywhere in the world,» say Myrtle Clarke and Julian Stobbs.

If the country were to regulate the consumption and sale of cannabis, it would become the first African country to legalize the plant completely.

Mehdi Bautier