While South Africa waits with baited breath for an answer from our esteemed judges in green at the Constitutional Court, the police have not let up in their quest to lock up every stoner they can find.

In response to the overwhelming pleas for help from people who are being arrested, our JoinTheQ advocate, Adv James Grant, suggested that we write to both the National Prosecuting Authority (addressed to Adv Shaun Abrams, the head of the NPA) and the Department of Public Prosecutions at the Johannesburg High Court, where we are experiencing the most significant hurdles in obtaining stays in prosecution pending the outcome of both The Trail of the Plant and of the appeal to the Davis judgement in the Western Cape High Court in March 2017.

JoinTheQ will be in the Johannesburg High Court next week to test the impact of our letters. One of our cases applying for a Stay in prosecution is due to be heard. The aim is to obtain a directive from the NPA ordering that all cases involving the private use of Cannabis in South Africa be stayed at Magistrate’s Court level.

This does not mean that the police cannot arrest anyone. It means that, when you get to court, the magistrate MUST put your case on hold until the outcome of the various Constitutional Court cases. This is not quite in place yet but we will keep everyone posted. We also aim to put an end to the mandatory incarceration that goes with the vast majority of Cannabis arrests. This is called HARM REDUCTION and this is what our JoinTheQ project is all about. We will keep fighting until we are all free to use our favourite plant.

You can read our letters here:

NPA.FINAL

Covering Letter JTQ Case details for NPA DPP