I must say I sympathise with Andre du Plessis, head of the Cannabis Working Group, because watching SABC News also makes me want to smoke something to ease the pain.

The dagga advocate shot to prominence last week when he lit up a joint live on air during a debate with the Central Drug Authority’s deputy chairman David Nayever. Although everyone suspected that he was smoking a doobie it was only later that du Plessis confirmed the incident. So what drove him to spark up? Here’s TimesLive:

I lit up a joint of cannabis after the sheer frustration from the blatant lie given to me by the [Central Drug Authority] with regard to xenophobia being the reason as to why it hasn’t delivered its cannabis position paper. That blatant lie pushed me over the edge.

They are 11 years late. In 2004, when they presented their position paper, parliament rejected it for not being scientific enough. In 2010, when parliament mandated them to get their cannabis position paper presented to parliament, they still did nothing. In 2013, we presented our cannabis position paper to the Central Drug Authority. We delivered it in a presentation. They had it for two years and the xenophobia outbreak only happened this year.

Come now parliament, when marijuana advocates are criticising your tardiness you know it’s time to pull up your pants.

The stunt didn’t wash well with the SABC who criticised du Plessis for taking advantage of the live broadcast. As Ron Burgundy might say ‘Hey, SABC, don’t act like you’re not impressed’.

[source:timeslive]