LISTEN | High praise for home-grown weed as '420 day' celebrated in lockdown

The merits of home cultivation were expounded on by a South African marijuana user as “420" trended on Twitter in celebration of the day (April 20) despite the “dagga day” falling during lockdown.

420 is slang worldwide for cannabis culture, and is an annual event that takes place on April 20 as part of a campaign for weed to be legalised in countries where use and cultivation is still prohibited.

This is a significant year for SA as we near the deadline parliament was given to iron out the necessary legislation on cannabis, such as permitted quantities.

In September 2018, the Constitutional Court found that the ban on marijuana was unconstitutional and ruled that it can be grown in private for personal consumption. Parliament was given 24 months from the date to amend the relevant laws.

Decriminalising the private cultivation and possession of cannabis has provided interim relief for users.

Landiso Magqaza describes himself as a subsistence cannabis producer. Hailing from the Eastern Cape, the 23-year-old prefers to cultivate his own to safeguard what he consumes.

“I prefer to produce and consume my own because I am aware of the substance going into my system. Out there herbs might be laced, but with this clinical approach, I am the clinic and I know what to do with the plant,” he said.

Magqaza said coming from a farming background it made sense for him to plant weed for his recreational use.

In addition to the smoking of cannabis on 420 day, several events take place to mark the occasion. This year, celebrations were cancelled in many countries under lockdown.

The annual D. Day 4.20 Fundraiser Festival in Gauteng set for April 25 has been postponed. What started off as a free street party in Maboneng, a trendy central  precinct in Johannesburg, in 2013 now attracts more than 4,000 weed enthusiasts to celebrate cannabis culture.

“420 is validation of the movement of weed smokers and the awareness that comes with it,” said enthusiast Nonjabulo Malinga.

She celebrated the day under lockdown in Johannesburg  doing what she would have been doing had she been high — snacking.

“There is hope that cannabis will soon be legal, but I don’t necessarily agree with commodifying it,” she said.

Magqaza firmly believes the government's venture into the cannabis industry will not benefit small-scale producers in rural areas.

“Every time the government has touched on developing rural industries in SA, it has always ended badly. The mining situation in Xolobeni has not been solved, and now they want to jump into cannabis because it is lucrative” he said.

With finance minister Tito Mboweni seen to be advocating the legalisation of marijuana earlier this year, there is hope among enthusiasts that dagga laws will be amended come September.