How red tape is tying up SA’s cannabis growers
South Africa is one of only four African countries that permit the cultivation of high-cannabinoid medical cannabis, either under licence for authorised sale or export, or unlicensed for private consumption.
Recently, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development [agriculture department] also published guidelines for hemp cultivation for agricultural and industrial purposes. In accordance with the National Cannabis Master Plan, South Africa is laying the groundwork for a flourishing cannabis economy in line with international trends.
Nonetheless, it is time to ask a couple of important questions. First, is this regulatory process taking place fast enough? And second, are the legislative mechanisms stifling domestic enterprise, reinforcing the flourishing illicit market and further disenfranchising local communities who stand to benefit the most from a
