Five Sane Steps That Could Get SA Cannabis Reform Back on Track
South Africa’s cannabis regulatory tangle get worse by the day as Government dithers and the ‘Grey Zone’ expands with no mechanisms for standardization or consumer protection on the cards. Charl Botha of H3 Legal Solutions (pictured here) has written to the President and other key ministers suggesting five steps that would bring the coherence that’s so urgently needed for cannabis reform to proceed as the Presidency intended.
Recognizing Bheki Cele: SA Cannabis Inc’s ‘Aloota Continua’ Lifetime Achievement Award
One of South Africa’s unsung heroes is Bhekokwakhe ‘Bheki’ Hamlton Cele, the former Police Minister who pioneered the capture of the country’s cannabis industry. The Cat in the Hat ensured the sector’s remarkable growth through two presidencies, kept the threat of legalization at bay, and established a flourishing empire that will survive the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into Corruption and beyond.
Sectional Title Rules Changed to Allow Owners to Use and Grow Cannabis
Updated rules for townhouse complexes now specifically allow one to grow one’s own cannabis at home and consume as much as one wants in private. Complexes that had their own rules forbidding cannabis consumption, now have to comply with the new order.
Agribiz Chief Economist: The Mood is Downbeat on Cannabis But ‘There Are Cycles in These Things’
Wandile Sihlobo says it’s time for more action and less talk in the cannabis industry. The chief economist for the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agribiz) has welcomed the news that ARC is putting up a cannabis research mega-facility in Pretoria, but says the snail’s pace of legislative reform is troubling.
Private Cannabis Clubs: Compliance Will be the Key to Legal Acceptance
The major private cannabis club stakeholders have thrown their weight behind the South African Cannabis Club Alliance initiative to unify cannabis clubs. SACCA spokesperson says there is a growing awareness that urgent action is needed to ensure cannabis clubs are recognized in future law, and the key to doing this is through self-compliance.
International Organized Crime is Trying to Turn SA into a Drug Factory
International cartels are opening up industrial-scale drug manufacturing facilities in South Africa in what appears to be a new trend in transfrontier organized crime. This is the view of former Interpol ambassador Andy Mashaile in reaction to news that five Mexicans were arrested during the recent bust of a R350 crystal meth lab in Mpumulanga.
International CBD Pet Product Market is Going Through the Woof!
Millennials are the leading spenders on cannabis pet products, driven by their own awareness of the benefits of CBD, as well as the growing trend of owners ‘humanizing’ their pets.
Botswana Instructs Officials to ‘Be Agile and Work with Speed’ in Developing Industrial Cannabis Sector
Botswana has signed a high level MoU with Hemp Innovations Europe to develop its industrial cannabis value chain. The MoU sets out a framework for wide-ranging cooperation and government officials have been urged to implement cannabis programmes with pace and purpose.
ARC Appointing Project Manager to Scope Mega Cannabis Research Facility
‘The Agricultural Research Council has put out a tender for a project manager to kickstart the construction of a 2 000 square metre cannabis facility in Pretoria. Controlled cultivation and seed multiplication are core functions for the planned research centre.
Rastas Urged to Report Police Brutality to IPID Following Ras Isa’s Death
The Rastafarian community continues to be victimized by police despite attempts by the Human Rights Commission to persuade law enforcement to respect their constitutional rights. In the wake of the recent death of Ras Isa at the hands of Cape Town SAPS, a community leader has urged people to report instances of police brutality and harassment to the Independent Police Investigation Directorate (Ipid).