Letter | See marijuana in a new light

 Naushad Omar's piercing letter last week (“Black elite merely destroying agricultural, business base”) really hit the spot, illuminating the dark path the ANC is taking this country down and detailing the fact that land expropriation without compensation brought mass starvation to the people of Zimbabwe, Uganda and Venuezela.

An increasingly desperate ANC must surely know this, and our charismatic and intelligent billionaire president Mr Cyril Ramaphosa definitely knows it. Compare the joy and energy in his body language when he was interviewed at Davos in 2017 with his sluggish body language in the time since giving his first parliamentary address.

Any body language expert will tell this is not a happy man.

One thing is for sure. With the ongoing strikes, the mayhem in North West, the daily land grabs and the horrific xenophobia and truck burning (R300-million lost here alone) at Mooi River dominating the news, overseas investment will continue to diminish.
Why would anyone want to invest in South Africa?

And I won’t even mention the economic damage Donald Trump’s new steel and aluminum tariffs will do to us.

But do not despair, because The Answer, Mr Ramaphosa, is Blowin’ in the Wind. As Bob Dylan said in his iconic song – “How many times can a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesn’t see?”

Immediately legalising marijuana for medical and recreational use would do wonders for the South African economy, increase tourism exponentially, provide work and a future for emerging black farmers and ultimately bring in billions in taxes.

Sure the mother grundies and conservatives will moan, but since when did the ANC care what people think? The greater good is what matters.

Mr Ramaphosa, I believe you are a good man caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, but you need to trust me on this.

Hope, dreams, aspirations and land expropriation will not save South Africa’s people from poverty, but legalising marijuana will bring money, jobs and tourism.

Also, the populace will be a whole lot more chilled.

If you doubt my word, check out what legalising recreational marijuana has done for the great state of Colorado (its capital Denver is now the fastest-growing city in America).and how many billions they are raking in with taxes.

It is time to believe in something real, Mr President. Grow it, and they will come.

-Grant Aubin, PE