Cape Town - The legalisation of marijuana is one step closer to being realised, with the Department of Health forging ahead with plans to recognise it as a prescription drug rather than a banned substance.
The Medicines Control Council (MCC) told MPs it has made progress in its investigation into the medicinal use of cannabis.
Briefing the National Assembly committee on health, MCC registrar Dr Joey Gouws said by February the regulatory body could start the regulation process by issuing permits to allow the controlled cultivation and supply of standardised high quality medicinal cannabis products.
The council is expected to publish the regulations by February.
One of the proposals that the council has made as part of the amendment of the Medicines and Related Substances Act, which is awaiting promulgation by President Jacob Zuma, was the scheduling of cannabis be downgraded from Schedule 7, a banned substance, to Schedule 6, a prescription drug.
Read more
The Medicines Control Council (MCC) told MPs it has made progress in its investigation into the medicinal use of cannabis.
Briefing the National Assembly committee on health, MCC registrar Dr Joey Gouws said by February the regulatory body could start the regulation process by issuing permits to allow the controlled cultivation and supply of standardised high quality medicinal cannabis products.
The council is expected to publish the regulations by February.
One of the proposals that the council has made as part of the amendment of the Medicines and Related Substances Act, which is awaiting promulgation by President Jacob Zuma, was the scheduling of cannabis be downgraded from Schedule 7, a banned substance, to Schedule 6, a prescription drug.
Read more
