Cheeba’s Birch: Accept That Govt Can’t Move the Industry Forward, It’s Up to Stakeholders to Show the Way
Cheeba Africa co-founder Trenton Birch says it’s crystal clear that government is struggling to move the dial forward on cannabis reform. He says that puts a load of responsibility onto private sector players to keep up the change momentum and lead the way.
Cannabis Community Mourns the Passing of Medical Cannabis Pioneer Sharon Price
One of South Africa’s true cannabis legends, traditional doctor Sharon Price, has passed away. The unexpected news has sent a shockwave through the cannabis community, which will miss her healing wisdom, medical cannabis teachings and treatments and her deep knowledge of the plant.
Ghana’s Darko Pulls Out of Cape Town Cannabis Conference Because of Rising Xenophobic Tensions in SA
The ripples of xenophobia have hit the cannabis sector, with a senior Ghanaian stakeholder pulling out of next week’s ICS 2026 Cape Town conference. Mark Darko cited safety concerns for his withdrawal, which he says is in line with Ghana’s travel warnings to its citizens about staying clear of SA.
Govt Misses All its Own Deadlines to Put New Cannabis Laws into Place
The National Cannabis Master Plan is coming off the rails – again. The DTIC’s promise to prioritize cannabis reform has run out of momentum with no sign of the draft cannabis commercialization policy that was meant to be put to Parliament this session.
Expo’s Howarth: Message is Clear: Consumers Are In Charge and What They Want is Driving the Market
The Cannabis Expo has put paid to any doubt as to who’s in control of cannabis in the country says CEO Silas Howarth. It’s not the government or big business – it’s the consumer! This is the real force shaping the industry because of its insatiable demand and sheer spending power.
Prince Report Back: Thousands Face SAPS Victimization While High Court Dithers Over April’s Urgent Application to Halt Cannabis Arrests
Gareth Prince’s urgent application to halt cannabis arrests has become enmeshed by the slow wheels of justice. While the legal activist says he’ll use the delay to bolster his case, he warns that ‘illegal’ cannabis arrests will continue until the next court date of 31 July. This is Prince’s report back to Cannabiz Africa.
Prince Urgent Application to Halt Cannabis Arrests Delayed on Procedural Grounds
Gareth Prince’s urgent High Court application to halt cannabis arrests has been delayed on procedural grounds and will only be heard again on 31 July 2026. The Western Cape Judge President acknowledged the urgency of the action, but said no space could be found on the court role for six weeks.
ICS 2026 to Challenge the American and European Muscle Power in Determining the Rules of the Regulatory Game for Everybody Else
International cannabis thought leaders from across the world are to descend on Cape Town at the end of the month for ICS 2026. Organizer Sean Hocking tells Cannabiz Africa that the Back to Basics theme is aimed at breaking North American and European dominance in determining the world’s cannabis regulatory systems.
CTAA Launches Portal to Link Cannabis Growers and Retailers to Open up the Market for Marginalized Communities
The Cannabis Trade Association of Africa (CTAA) has launched a compliance platform that provides a route to market for legacy cannabis growers. It’s new portal aims to link growers to retailers in a framework that ticks all government’s compliance boxes and provides a market for landraces.
Looking Ahead, Zimbabwe and Zambia Are Africa’s Best Bets for Becoming Hemp Powerhouses
Zimbabwe and Zambia are best-placed African countries for ramped-up hemp production because they have plenty of available land and water. Zimbabwe has the edge because of it has an international distribution hub. That’s the view of Cobasa founder and chairperson Henri de Villeneuve, speaking at the Cheeba Summit.