Dear Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services,

Cannabis should not be legalized for personal use or promoted, but only for commercial exports and medical use (if science backs its) and medical associations must have regulatory hand in the Bill. its not legal in USA only state level. The Government purposes is to protect its citizens and thier wellfare not promote laws that acts against its own mandate.

disadvantages of cannabis:

Second-Hand Smoke Could Become A Problem - far much toxic than regualar ciggerates for minors, pragnent women and evil adults. Can they accumulate THC in their bloodstream, have lung probems and catalyst to cancer. Every has a right to smoke free enviroments, smoke free zone note adiquate as the smoke from cannibis is more potent (https://no-smoke.org/secondhand-marijuana-smoke-fact-sheet/) (https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/what-are-effects-secondhand-exposure-to-marijuana-smoke)

Decreased Mental Health of society: Canibbis is not tobbacco, its more dnagerous. Several studies have linked marijuana use to increased risk for psychiatric disorders, including psychosis (schizophrenia), depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders, but whether and to what extent it actually causes these conditions is not always easy to determine. (https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/there-link-between-marijuana-use-psychiatric-disorders)

Marijuana Users’ Lungs Are At Risk - Marijuana smoke contains carcinogenic combustion products, including about 50% more benzoprene and 75% more benzanthracene (and more phenols, vinyl chlorides, nitrosamines, reactive oxygen species) than cigarette smoke. Because of how it is typically smoked (deeper inhale, held for longer), marijuana smoking leads to four times the deposition of tar compared to cigarette smoking. (https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/what-are-marijuanas-effects-lung-health)

Marijuana Alters Your Perception and driving ability - Marijuana significantly impairs judgment, motor coordination, and reaction time, and studies have found a direct relationship between blood THC concentration and impaired driving ability. Marijuana is the illicit drug most frequently found in the blood of drivers who have been involved in vehicle crashes, including fatal ones (https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/does-marijuana-use-affect-driving)

Marijuana Is A Gateway Drug: in drug hit South Africa this a bad idea.a study using longitudinal data from the National Epidemiological Study of Alcohol Use and Related Disorders found that adults who reported marijuana use during the first wave of the survey were more likely than adults who did not use marijuana to develop an alcohol use disorder within 3 years; people who used marijuana and already had an alcohol use disorder at the outset were at greater risk of their alcohol use disorder worsening. Marijuana use is also linked to other substance use disorders including nicotine addiction. (https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/marijuana-gateway-drug)

Gender based violence correlates with drug abuse (https://www.saferspaces.org.za/uploads/files/Substance_Abuse_in_SA_-_Linkages_with_GBV__Urban_Violence.pdf)(https://genderjustice.org.za/article/alcohol-abuse-linked-gender-based-violence-increased-alcohol-prices-not-liquor-amendment-bill/) (https://www.thursdaysinblack.co.za/understanding-link-between-substance-abuse-and-domestic-violence-62017)

Is marijuana safe and effective as medicine? Researchers generally consider medications in pill form, which use purified chemicals derived from or based on those in the marijuana plant, to be more promising therapeutically than use of the whole marijuana plant or its crude extracts. (https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/marijuana-safe-effective-medicine)

Does it affact unbornbabbies, yes! Human research has shown that some babies born to women who used marijuana during their pregnancies display altered responses to visual stimuli, increased trembling, and a high-pitched cry,which could indicate problems with neurological development.1In school, marijuana-exposed children are more likely to show gaps in problem-solving skills, memory, and the ability to remain attentive. (https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/can-marijuana-use-during-pregnancy-harm-baby)

is addictive it addictive? Yes. Marijuana use can lead to the development of problem use, known as a marijuana use disorder, which takes the form of addiction in severe cases. Recent data suggest that 30% of those who use marijuana may have some degree of marijuana use disorder. People who begin using marijuana before the age of are four to seven times more likely to develop a marijuana use disorder than adults. (https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/marijuana-addictive)

What are marijuana's long-term effects on the brain? Substantial evidence from animal research and a growing number of studies in humans indicate that marijuana exposure during development can cause long-term or possibly permanent adverse changes in the brain. Rats exposed to THC before birth, soon after birth, or during adolescence show notable problems with specific learning and memory tasks later in life. (https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/what-are-marijuanas-long-term-effects-brain)

if ever legilzed for personal use Cannabis products should be labeled with significant detail, including (but not limited to) THC (tetrahydrocannabinol—the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis) and CBD (cannabidiol—an active cannabinoid in cannabis) levels, dosing information, and ingredients. There should be restrictions on the marketing and advertising of cannabis products.

if ever legilzed for personal use Cannabis packaging and advertising that targets or attracts underage users should be completely prohibited. All cannabis products should have child-resistant packaging. There should be strong penalties for adults who enable the diversion of cannabis to minors.

Money from the taxation of the cannabis trade should be used to fund research, education, prevention, and substance abuse treatment. These should include public information for adults on the use and misuse of cannabis and youth programs that emphasize the risks of underage cannabis use.

Scientists and policymakers can learn from the successes and failures of alcohol and tobacco policy to regulate cannabis products, thereby mitigating old harms of cannabis prohibition while reducing new harms from legalization.