Dagga’s been a vigorous debate on my sites before and on February 13 a court case in Knysna could change much about it locally.

Dagga isn’t an easy topic and it’s rare to find moderate opinion on both sides. I don’t want school kids smoking because a side affect, especially for newcomers, is demotivation – obviously legalisation will increase usage. I also don’t like falsehoods such as “it cures asthma” (as an asthmatic, i know it makes it worse – tar content is up the yin-yang). And i never want another stoner to tell me again that they drive the same as they do when not stoned – ridiculous.

On the other hand, i believe that adults who harm no one can do whatever they want within the walls of their homes – i despise our rights continuously being eroded! I also hate the hypocrisy of cigarettes being legal. In the bigger picture, there’s obviously tons of benefits commercially which, if it ever becomes a reality, will likely benefit corporates more than hippies. Medically, it can never be soon enough to use marijuana to help so many in illness or pain – how can the government tell terminal cancer patients they have no right to some of the herb’s oil?!

Our reality is that tons of people smoke in Knysna and that not all are treated the same – it seems that some get picked on by the cops more than others. And the cops boost their drug arrest stats which obscures the results for far greater dangers such as tik and heroin.

As a compromise, dagga should surely be decriminalised properly. Aim for the big suppliers, not the common men and women who our fellow citizens. I know many long term users who remain very productive members of our society.

Read about that February 13 court case, which was the Knysna-Plett Herald’s front page this week,

NB: Court date was originally reported as February 13. Is in fact March 13.

This article first appeard on KnysnaKeep.org