Rastafarians cheered through plumes of smoke, and shouted “history”, after Judge Dennis Davis declared the private use of dagga legal on Friday. The Western Cape High Court made the landmark ruling, declaring that it is an infringement of constitutional rights to ban the use of dagga by adults in private homes.
It has 24 months to do so. “Jah Bless,” shouted one man after the ruling, as ordinary passers-by shook hands with Garreth Prince and Jeremy Acton who had brought the application to decriminalise the use of dagga.
Prosecutions for private possession could now be dropped, he said.
Prince said this meant the police would be freed up to deal with more pressing crimes.
Acton said the matter was about the right to privacy.
“If it is in your home and it is not for sale you have the right to have it and use it, as an adult.”
He said he would make the judgment available to every magistrate, to get them to understand the ruling on private use.
This judgment does not allow for the right to sell dagga.
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