South Africa legalises marijuana

…Coca Cola considering marijuana-fused soft drinks

South Africa’s highest court has legalised the use cannabis and the growing of marijuana, known in Malawi as chamba, for adult private consumption.

Pro-marijuana activists cheered in the public gallery and chanted when the Constitutional Court gave its landmark ruling.

In his judgement, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo said: “It will not be a criminal offence for an adult person to use or be in possession of cannabis in private for his or her personal consumption.”

South Africa’s government’s had opposed its legalisation, arguing the drug was “harmful” to people’s the health.
Three South African cannabis users who had faced prosecution for using cannabis brought the case, saying the ban “intrudes unjustifiably into their private spheres”.

South Africa joins Zimbabwe which in April became the second country in Africa, after Lesotho, to legalise the use of marijuana for medical use.

Meanwhile, the soft drink titan Coca-Cola says it has been eyeing cannabis-infused drinks (CBD). The company said Monday that it’s “closely watching” the use of cannabis in “functional wellness” beverages.

Noting the space for cannabidiol-based drinks is “evolving quickly,” for the company to consider manufacturing CBD.

“Along with many others in the beverage industry, we are closely watching the growth of non-psychoactive CBD as an ingredient in functional wellness beverages around the world,” Coca-Cola spokesman Kent Landers told Bloomberg News, saying the “The space for CBD is evolving quickly”.

In Malawi, marijuana remains illegal.