Call for action against illegal cannabis stores in Chatsworth

SMOKING LOUNGES

- YOSHINI PERUMAL [e-mail]

COMMUNITY leaders in Chatsworth are urging authorities to take action against the proliferation of illegal cannabis stores, highlighting concerns about public safety and the impact on local youth.

They said outlets were “freely selling” cannabis products close to schools and religious organisations.

This comes soon after Mmamoloko Kubayi, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, confirmed that regulations required for the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act to be implemented would be finalised by March next year.

In a parliamentary response to DA MP Tobias Chance, Kubayi said the act could only be implemented once her department had received feedback from all concerned departments.

These include the departments of health; agriculture; trade, industry and competition; social development; small business and development, the Presidency, and the SAPS.

Yugen Pillay, chairperson of the Chatsworth Community Police Forum (CPF), said despite the use of cannabis being decriminalised for private use, the public needed to remember that the sale of cannabis was still illegal.

“People are openly selling cannabis. The law regarding the sale of cannabis is quite clear. I have tried many times to get law enforcement to act on this, but they are still awaiting direction from their legal department. A directive that was unfortunately not forthcoming.

“It seems that the legal departments cannot decipher the legislation, and in the meantime, these stores are mushrooming all over.

“The use of cannabis can act as a gateway drug, and because it is so easily available, more and more people are using it. We are calling on the police to clamp down on these stores and start shutting them down,” said Pillay.