7 Tips for Starting a Successful Cannabis Business
It’s now just a matter of time before a commercial framework for trading in cannabis and related products becomes legal in South Africa. Already thousands of new cannabis businesses have opened their doors in anticipation of a change of law. Regulations and legality aside, here are seven tips from across the Atlantic on how to set up a successful cannabis operation.
Mpondoland Journey: From Village Kid to Village Divah Organics
Philasande Mahlakata (pictured here) is the face of Village Divah Organics, a household name in oil-infused cosmetics and health products in the Eastern Cape. But where does the name come from and what’s her story?
Northern Namibian Cannabis Dealing Accused Remanded in Custody
The four men arrested after last month’s major cannabis bust in Northern Namibia will remain behind bars while further investigations continue. Police say the haul (pictured above) in the Hochfield area was one of the biggest seizures in the country’s history.
SSETA Dispensary Training Programme for Professionals Revealed as a Scam!
South Africa’s fledgling cannabis industry is beset with increasingly sophisticated scams, the latest being an ‘announcement by SSETA, a state funded entity, that it is launching a training and certification for cannabis dispensary professionals. Sadly, this is not the case, and it’s yet another group of con artists on stage in the theatre of the absurd in the ongoing drama of cannabis reform.
Dr Glenda Gray Appointed to SAHPRA as Member of New Board Headed by Dr Thapelo Motshudi
The Minister of Health has appointed a new board for the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority with Dr Thapelo Motshudi becoming the new chair and Dr Glenda Gray (both pictured here) as his vice. CEO Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela remains in her position.
DSBD Partners With CSIR to Assist Small Businesses in Cannabis Product Development, Seeks Expert Help
The Department of Small Business Development and the CSIR have partnered to pilot projects for small SME’s to produce medicinal cannabis and hemp for commercialisation. They are looking for an expert to pull together three years of research on beneficiation into an action programme.
Cannabis Commercialization: ‘Select’ Stakeholder Talks Raise Eyebrows Over DTIC Transparency
The DTIC says it has begun “preliminary consultations” with a few unnamed industry stakeholders over its draft cannabis commercialization policy. Yet it has not yet officially released the policy for public comment, raising concerns about who exactly is the DTIC talking to, and why isn’t it being more transparent about the consultation process.”
KZN Police Use Drug Trafficking Act Against Man Arrested at Cannabis Storage Facility on the Bluff
Technically, no-one should be charged under the Drug Trafficking Act for cannabis offences as the Cannabis Act of 2024 specifies this. However, KwaZulu Natal SAPS have charged a man under the Act after arresting him during a raid on a ‘cannabis and magic mushroom’ storage facility on the Bluff in Durban.
KZN Police Arrest 14 After Raiding 5 ha Illegal Cannabis Farm Near Babanango
A large contingent of KZN law enforcement officers descended on a ‘vegetable farm’ on Wednesday and discovered a five hectare field of cannabis. They seized a large amount of cannabis, and arrested 14 people linked to the farm, among them foreign nationals.
Commercializing Cannabis: CDH Suggests Tiered Tax System Based on THC Potency
Leading law firm CDH has published its own road map towards cannabis commercialisation and one of its suggestions is that high THC products should be taxed at a higher rate than other cannabis products. It says this would incentivize the development of the CBD market and discourage consumers from buying potent – and potentially dangerous – products.