SA MP tables medical marijuana bill

Quote:

Cape Town - Terminally-ill IFP MP Mario Oriano-Ambrosini, who is stricken with late-stage lung cancer, says unconventional and illegal medical treatment has extended his life expectancy. Briefing the media at Parliament on Thursday, he confirmed what he told MPs in the National Assembly the day before - that he was using marijuana, also known as dagga, medically. <snip> "I have asked the Minister of Health [Aaron Motsoaledi] to look into the matter," President Zuma said. Sitting next to Oriano-Ambrosini at Thursday's briefing, advocate Robin Stransham-Ford, who revealed that he too had terminal cancer, said he had been briefed to mount a constitutional challenge against the laws making cannabis illegal. "It's proposed to bring this matter to court in 2015," he said.

South Africa has long had a sizable Rastafari minority and cheap outdoor weed is easily available here (growing conditions are favourable). Although there has always been a small legalisation movement, this is first time that I'm aware of where someone has stood up in parliment and called for a debate on the issue. In fact they've gone further and proposed a new bill to allow medical use of marijuana.



South Africa is pretty conservative though - I wonder how the politicians will react to this. Clearly they were moved by the speech of this long-time MP and friend. Will this be enough for them to take on what is usually a political hot-potato, or will this be the last we hear of this bill?





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