Presidential Cannabis Advisor Garth Strachan has written to Fields of Green for All’s Myrtle Clarke in response to her concern about a lack of transparency in the redrafting of the Cannabis Master Plan.

Strachan acknowledged that cannabis reform to date had been slow: “This includes progress with the law (CfPPA not promulgated/put into force), the regulations (the nitty gritty that drives the law on the ground), the relationships between different government departments and the issues of financing the development of the cannabis sector.”

Strachan said that it was up to non-government stakeholders to communicate developments to their constituents, but as far as Government was concerned, this is what has been happening:

1.    Appointment of Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau as chair of a Cabinet ‘cannabis’ subcommittee, the Inter-Ministerial Committee. He will be ‘realigning’ the relationship between government departments to come up with a comprehensive approach to cannabis reform. His deployment by the President means that the DTIC is effectively in charge of driving the Cannabis Master Plan;

2.    DTIC has replaced the Department of Agriculture as the main driver of the Cannabis Master Plan: The DTIC will be responsible for most of the constitutional functions in the value chain and managing the required legislative roll-out;

3.    Enabling the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act. The CfPPA has not yet been promulgated because the regulations required before that are “complicated” but are “busy being written” according to Strachan;

4.    Amending the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act of 1994: In Strachan’s words. “This is the big one that states that cannabis is a dangerous, dependence-producing substance”. The CfPPA stipulates that cannabis should be dropped from the Drugs Act altogether. This is the biggest single impediment to ‘mainstreaming’ cannabis as it prevents financial institutions from investing in the sector);

5.    Amending other Acts Affecting Cannabis: The CfPPA also envisages changes to other legislation, notably, the Plant Act which will define cannabis as an agricultural crop rather than as a narcotic;

6.    Finding cannabis policy cohesion: Also on the government’s radar is the need for the right policies to support the growth of the industry – everything from industrial processing to export and taxation.The DTIC will lead efforts to make regulatory changes and support economic development in the cannabis sector;

7.    Building better relationships with non-government stakeholders: The government aims to build better relationships with social partners, such as labour groups, businesses, and community representatives. While the government cannot tell these partners how to report back, it hopes they will share updates, keeping in mind the challenges they face in developing this new industry;

There are ‘Nine Pillars’ of the Cannabis Master Plan that involve government action. With the formation of the Government of National Unity there are new players in the major portfolios that are expected to work together building these pillars which affect 22 different government departments

The Nine Pillars of the Cannabis Master Plan. :

1.     Effective regulatory systems: Putting in place a coherent cannabis development framework that allows for the commercial trade in cannabis and related products (while at the same time including SAHPRA regulations) and creating a non-exclusionary licensing system;

2.     Sustainable seed supply systems: Primarily to assist small-scale farmers to grow indigenous hemp varietals; the creation of a national genetic cannabis seed bank;

3.     Research and technology development: Further research into the potential of a “whole plant” approach, particularly where SA landraces are concerned, and incubating small-scale cannabis businesses to a point of market-readiness;

4.     Producer support systems: Assisting new hemp farmers with agricultural field services and quality control, providing fencing, fertilizer and irrigation systems;

5.     Market development: Helping cannabis farmers get offtake agreements and to broaden the market, particularly in adding value to industrial cannabis sector;

6.     Supplier development systems: Assisting small-businesses to become compliant and to help develop long-term supply chains;

7.     Manufacturing and product development: Assisting private sector manufacturers and supporting the creation of new cannabis-related products;

8.     Education and training: Developing a skills base for the fledgling cannabis industry across the value chain;

9.     Communication and awareness: Public awareness of the benefits of cannabis through a destigmatization campaign

Good luck to the Minister!

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