Kenyan Court Denies Rastafarians Religious Exemption for Cannabis Use

A Kenyan court ruled Wednesday that Rastafarians do not have a constitutional right to use cannabis for religious purposes. The court rejected arguments that national drug laws violated religious freedoms. It found the restrictions on cannabis use applied equally to all citizens.

Background on the Case Rastafarians had petitioned the court for an exemption from Kenya's cannabis prohibition. The group argued that cannabis use forms a central part of their religious practice. The ruling leaves existing drug laws unchanged. No specific penalties or enforcement measures were addressed in the decision.

The case centered on whether religious belief creates an exception to general criminal statutes. The court determined that no such exception exists under current law.