Page 131 - Daggabay Magazine Issue 9
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Fields of Green for ALL • Collectively Reforming South African Cannabis Laws
5.5.5 Training, Education & Entrepreneurship
Training and Education will differ from Training considerations are not restricted to the
establishment to establishment as large legal areas mentioned above, but also apply to the
Cannabis operations introduce what could sectors that support the Cannabis industry. It is
be termed “more advanced” technologies essential that the vast knowledge and experience
for cultivation, harvesting, processing and contained within the current, unregulated
manufacturing of the plant. Small-scale Cannabis industry and the skills of those who have
cultivators tend to focus on regenerative been providing support under prohibition, be
agricultural methodologies, increases in taken into consideration and utilised. Education
productivity, sustainability and the reduction and training is another area with important
of their environmental impact. potential for job creation and international
expertise should be used to supplement local
Programmes are already available for everything knowledge and training.
from home growing to sophisticated cultivation
for licensed medicinal products. Plans are being All education and training programmes must
made, courses developed and facilitators trained, be aligned to Hubs so that knowledge and skills
for both outsourced training and support for in- development remain an integral part of the
house skills development. Those pioneering this regulations. At mid-term, it is desirable to structure
crucial aspect of support for regulations must policies that make national and academic
be given all the assistance they require from certification possible for all qualifications within
the office of the Cannabis OmBUDsman. the Cannabis industry. This would create standards
across the regulated operations, and enhance the
enforceability of regulations.
5.5.6 Job Creation & The Rights Of Workers
Goal 8 / Target 8.8 of the United Nations SDGs is to prohibition, workers in the Cannabis industry are
protect labour rights, promote sustained, inclusive essentially powerless and unaware of the work
and sustainable economic growth, full and conditions they deserve. Constant pressure and
productive employment and decent work for all. threats from law enforcement or organised crime
have hindered people working in Cannabis-related
All forecasts focusing on the development of jobs from establishing proper self-protection
legally regulated markets for Cannabis show the measures. To protect workers’ rights for all and end
expected positive impact on jobs and employment. forced labour, we need to provide a strong set of
However, the impact on work and employment guidelines and regulations for best practice in the
must balance the increase in employment with the workplace when regulating Cannabis.
quality of employment.
This includes, but is not limited to, quality of work
This full-spectrum model of regulations is thought in Cannabis retail stores or Dagga Private Clubs.
to increase the number of job-per-business to For example: Workers must be protected against
favour mass employment, that only socially sound smoke exposure by adequate ventilation in the
regulations can reach. But the quality of the jobs workplace.
created also matters. Regulatory protections,
workplace safety oversight and insurance are The authors wish to bring this aspect to the
only a few of the social protections that people attention of experts in the trade-union field,
working with Cannabis in illegal settings have been so that the relevant parts of existing standard
missing for decades. The International Labour labour legislation can be adapted to meet the
Organisation (ILO) explains that “much forced requirements of the legal Cannabis industry. We
labour involves underground or illegal activities are very aware of the shortcomings of existing
and is otherwise hidden from public view.” Under labour practice, specifically with regards to farm
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CANNABIS IN SOUTH AFRICA • THE PEOPLE’S PLANT • A Full-Spectrum Manifesto For Policy Reform 87
