Page 105 - Daggabay Magazine Issue 9

Fields of Green for ALL • Collectively Reforming South African Cannabis Laws

Friends-led collective cultivation has existed for a the black market; to actively contribute to society;
long time, but its formalisation as DPCs began on and to ensure that this takes place in a private
20 April 2019 with the launch of the South African environment in order to conform to the Privacy
Dagga Private Club Initiative . Judgement.
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Driven by community enhancement and No supplementary regulation is needed, as DPCs
development, DPCs are typically small-to-medium- are already regulated by existing laws on non-
sized groups of private individuals, pooling their profit companies . This model just needs to be
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resources towards the communal cultivation of acknowledged and included in new legislative
Cannabis, limited to the needs and consumption texts relating to Cannabis and from there can
habits of the individual. Products are then be managed by the Office of the Cannabis
distributed internally to members of the private OmBUDsman. Once recognised by law, the DPC
club only, for their personal consumption. will become one of the most important sectors
for the recognition of the informal/unregulated
The purpose of the DPC is to ensure that Cannabis small-scale Cannabis economy. DPCs have a
users have a platform from which to exercise their responsibility to contribute to the community, and
rights safely; to educate the Cannabis community one of the ways to do this is to provide a support
on their rights, safe consumption habits and system for entrepreneurs wishing to transition to
other related information; to avoid partaking in the Kasinomics level of involvement.

5.1.1.1 Foundational Principles In A Dagga Private Club

In order for a DPC to stay true to its intended to Cannabis. Clubs are also expected to contribute
purpose, there are four foundational principles to its external community. This can either be done
that a DPC needs to subscribe to. These principles financially with any profit that might result from
are designed to limit the extent to which the DPC the Club’s activities; or a donation in the form
model can be interpreted and amended, without of labour or skills that could be required by the
sacrificing the integrity of the initiative. community.
5.1.1.1.1 Non-profitability 5.1.1.1.3 Transparency
Dagga Private Clubs are of a non-profit nature. Although Dagga Private Clubs should operate
Any profits obtained are to be reinvested in the privately, it should be transparent about its
Club and should be used to further the goals of the processes and the contributions required to
Club; or should be donated to the Club’s adopted maintain the Club’s operations. Clubs should be
cause. No financial benefits are to be distributed legally registered non-profit organisations and
among members, but instead the Club should maintain records of all its activities, which should
aim to generate legal employment and justifiable be made available to stakeholders as appropriate.
salaries as compensation for Club-related duties. This includes financial records, distribution records,
No trade is taking place, but rather expenses and production records.
related to cultivating, processing and distributing
the Cannabis are covered by the individual 5.1.1.1.4 supply Follows Demand
members of the collective. The DPC requires a member to state their
consumption habits upon joining the Club. In
5.1.1.1.2 Community-oriented this way, the DPC determines the demand of its

Clubs revolve around their community, both members. Informed by these statistics, the DPC
its immediate and external community. In its only then plans its growing operation, so that it can
immediate community, the Club’s goals should provide sufficient amounts and quality of Cannabis
relate to providing quality and sufficient supply of to satisfy its members. It is reasonable for the DPC
Cannabis to its members in a safe and traceable to cultivate slightly more than what it needs, as an
environment, while educating their members on insurance policy against diseases, acts of nature or
responsible use and their legal rights as they relate any other event that may lead to loss of crops.

CANNABIS IN SOUTH AFRICA • THE PEOPLE’S PLANT • A Full-Spectrum Manifesto For Policy Reform 61