Presidential Envoy Sihlobo: Stop Talking & Ease the Environment for Commercial Production
The President’s agricultural and lands envoy, Wandile Sihlobo says the hazy issues around the cannabis industry need to be cleared up urgently. He believes the cannabis industry will not be the game-changer everyone hopes it will be, but with the right regulations, could thrive.
‘Race to the Bottom’: New Study Proves Medical Cannabis Exports Will Not Create Jobs or Reduce Poverty
South Africa’s hopes of a playing a meaningful role in the global medical cannabis value chain are unwarranted. New research warns that an ‘export-only’ model is actually a ‘race to the bottom’, tying up capital in non-inclusive growth that does not make money, create jobs or alleviate rural poverty.
Justice Dept’s Mokulubete: Cannabis for Private Purposes Act Will Become Law this Year
Senior Justice Department official Makubela Mokulubete (pictured here) says the long-awaited Cannabis for Private Purposes Act will become operational before year end. He says 2 807 public submissions were received on the Act, these had been reviewed and the final regulations would be published soon.
National Cannabis Dialogue Stuck on Monologue as DTIC, NPA Stay Away and Govt Remains Hard of Hearing
The Department of Trade Industry and Competition didn’t pitch to the National Cannabis Dialogue and made no submission on its commercialization plans. Instead of any initiative from government’s side the national cannabis conversation is stuck on repeat, arrests continue, and the regulatory vacuum sucks all the fresh air out of the room.
Dialogue Delegates Pull No Punches: Criminalisation Costs the State Dearly and Entrenches Poverty
The National Cannabis Dialogue held last week in Gauteng gave cannabis stakeholders their first real access to government officials involved in cannabis reform. Although the Gauteng premier and Ekuruhleni mayor cancelled their appearances at the last moment, a range of other officials were in attendance.
John Jeffery Quits: DTIC’s Senior Cannabis Advisor Resigns Unexpectedly
The DTIC’s main cannabis advisor, John Jeffery, has resigned. The former deputy justice minister is yet to give a reason for his decision to quit as project manager for the Cannabis and Hemp Master Plan, and his departure will be a setback for cannabis commercialization plans.
Werksmans Note to Employers: Cannabis in The Workplace is the New Reality, So Get with the Programme
Cannabis cannot be defined as a ‘narcotic’ in the workplace, and a blanket ‘zero tolerance’ approach no longer holds up like it used to.Werksmans says employers should update workplace policies in light of a recent arbitration ruling against PFG Glass in favour of a worker dismissed for ‘impairment’
These are the Main Issues the National Cannabis Dialogue Hopes to Thrash Out
The National Cannabis Dialogue is scheduled to take place at the Kempton Park City Hall today, where about 300 stakeholders are expected to interact with government officials in what could be a landmark summit in shaping cannabis reform going forward. John Makoni highlights the key issues on the table.
Mbombela Judge Slaps Down NPA Property Seizure Attempt as ‘Arbitrary, Offensive and Constitutionally Distasteful
A Mbombela judge has given the NPA a lashing in dismissing its application to seize an elderly couple’s property because their grandson grew cannabis there. Judge Malose Monene accused the NPA of ‘missing the point’ of forfeiture in its ‘offensive and constitutionally distasteful’ application.
EFF’s Quanita Booley: Who Owns the Cannabis Economy? Current Situation Just Extends Economic Injustice
EFF MP and cannabis advocate Quanita Booley says the future ‘ownership’ of the cannabis industry is central to its sustainability. She writes that the National Cannabis Dialogue needs to ensure the benefits of legalization are not just concentrated in the hands of the few.