1843: Culture clash over cannabis By the time Holland and Britain found their way to Southern Africa, Dagga (as the indigenous population knew cannabis) smoking had become a deeply entrenched part of the culture, since spreading southwards from the Arabic corner of the continent. Although the colonizers of Africa had always frowned upon smoking cannabis as morally reprehensible, it was not until 1843 that the white ruling class began to actively oppose its use. England annexed the Republic of Natalia (Natal) in 1843, causing a huge growth in the sugar industry that required many more laborers to work the fields. Workers were sought from throughout the Empire. From the British colony of India came 6000 low-caste Indians who were degradingly called coolies by the Europeans. Their proportion in the work force, coupled with the ancient Indian traditions of cannabis use, led to the formulation of the belief that weed made the laborers sick and lazy and lead workers to commit criminal acts. It was not long before the South-African government took action to hinder its use. By 1870, the European colonists had passed a law "prohibiting the smoking, use, or possession by the sale, barter, or gift to, any coolies whatsoever, of any portion of the hemp plant".
Posted on: Mon, 16 Sep 2013 14:44:40 +0000
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