Page 130 - Daggabay Magazine Issue 9

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

5.5.4 Security & Insurance

5.5.4.1 Safety & Security If Cannabis corporate-risk benefits are properly
underwritten and mitigated through scientific
At each registered Cannabis business, be it a evidence of the relative harms and risks of
production, retail, distribution or testing facility, Cannabis in relation to the specific job, then
Cannabis must be stored in a secure environment employment contracts will become less restrictive
and staff must be rigorously trained in security in terms of the definition of “influence” in relation
procedures. Security procedures may vary to Cannabis. “Influence” should be clearly defined
between standard and Kasinomics branches of and whether Cannabis influence is a risk in
the model, but must tend towards harmonisation. particular situations, and the extent of that risk.
This can have an important effect on the non-
South Africa has a high crime rate, so it follows stigmatisation and normalisation of Cannabis
that a Cannabis business will need security.
However, the extent of that security is up to the in the workplace, from a non-problematic
perspective. A “Cannabis Insurance Underwriting”
registered owner of the facility. Any Cannabis
production facility with common sense knows subheading could serve this purpose.
that security is important. Policy should be geared to encourage protection
and compliance of legal Cannabis entities
Currently, the South African security industry is through personal and commercial lines of
the seventh largest in the world and is regulated
by a leading authority called (PSiRA), the Private insurance. These liabilities in relation to Cannabis
Security Regulatory Authority. We find the current must be assessed through proper ongoing
research and risk assessment, and include among
set of regulating protocols (ERP’s) for the security
industry (Act No. 56 of 2001) to be in alignment others:
with our proposal for the legal regulation of • General liability;
Cannabis in South Africa. Security companies will • Premises liability;
be providing the same service to the Cannabis • Product liability;
industry as they do for all other businesses in • Property/equipment liability;
our economy. It is of utmost importance that
equality and non-discrimination are the pillars • Loss of income;
of the security structure in its entirety and that • Equipment breakdown;
no participant in the legal Cannabis economy is • Duty to Defend;
subjected to any form of unfair treatment due to • Professional liability;
the nature of their business.
• Cyber liability.
Long-term insurance practices should make
5.5.4.2 Insurance For ALL reference to the needs of the Cannabis industry
and not unduly prejudice the industry with
Cannabis businesses need access to both short- unrelated and unscientific risk underwriting.
term and long-term insurance services at all • Proper risk underwriting should be clearly
levels: for the cultivation of crops, the processing, defined in all aspects and relative lines of
stock or handling of products, for the facilities insurance;
of the business, and for the protection of staff
and workers as well as customers. Insurance • Long-term insurance policies such as
requirements will set minimum standards of medical aids, life insurance, funeral insurance,
security, based on pre-existing practices. retirement annuities and endowment policies
should make provision for the developing
Cannabis users should not be unduly prejudiced Cannabis industry;
with unfair and unscientific risk underwriting (i.e. • Employee benefit policies need to comply
DUI). Therefore, regulations need to influence risk and complement the Cannabis Industry;
underwriting and compliance. • The Cannabis industry should be registered
with the Unemployment Insurance Fund.

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