The National Drug Master Plan (NDMP) has expired and is due for review. One of the challenges facing its owner, the Central Drug Authority (CDA), is how to incorporate the legalization of cannabis into the anti-drugs strategies it has painstakingly developed over the past few years.

This is particularly difficult because cannabis has been identified as the most widely-used illicit drug in South Africa and the source of many mental health issues in poorer communities beset by substance abuse issues.

The CDA was set up in terms of the Prevention of and Treatment of Substance Abuse Act 2007, and its prime mandate is to integrate government and civil society into fighting addictive substances within the framework of the NDMP.

It also works closely with SAPS, SARS and SAHPRA in trying to dismantle international narcotics syndicates and developing harms-reduction based programmes. See who’s on the CDA board here.

One of government’s challenges in the upcoming year will be to integrate its vision for cannabis reform (gradually developing a commercial adult-use framework) as set out in the evolving Cannabis Master Plan, with a new-look NDMP review that is intrinsically hostile towards cannabis.

The NDMP specifically notes the introduction of the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act and the removal of cannabis from the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act, but makes no recommendations as to how cannabis should be treated in the NDMP going forward. It says this all should be reviewed in light of new legislation.

One of the complications is that even though cannabis is being removed from the Drugs Act, authorities still see it as a ‘dangerous dependence-producing drug’, and seeks to limit availability.

Although technically, cannabis is to be redefined in South Africa as an agricultural crop rather than a narcotic, this is not in line with how the NDMP or the World Drug Report sees it:

The NDMP’s 2023/4 Report reads, in part:

"Cannabis is the most used illicit drug in South Africa. South Africa is also one of the largest cannabis producers on the African continent, with the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces being major cultivation areas.

"Cannabis is often grown in rural areas and trafficked to urban centres through distribution. While much of the cannabis consumed domestically is cultivated within the country there is also a significant cross-border trafficking. Cannabis from neighbouring countries like Swaziland and Lesotho is often smuggled into South Africa due to its high potency and lower costs."

The report notes that “Cannabis remains the main drug sourced, trafficked and used in Africa.” It says cannabis use in Africa has grown faster than any other region in the world over the past decade. iApproximately 38.2 million people in Africa used cannabis in 2023.

“This high prevalence is due partly to the relative ease of cultivation, low cost of cannabis coupled with its cultural acceptance in many regions. Notable increases in cannabis use have been reported in countries such as Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya. The decriminalization of cannabis in some areas has also contributed to widespread use.”

It's all well and good noting this, but what is to be done about integrating the most widely-used illicit, yet partially-legalized substance in South Africa into an anti-drug strategy that makes sense?

The NDMP’s bigger concern than the consequences of legalizing cannabis is the emerging, complicated pattern of substance use across the continent. It says: “Drug  markets are rapidly diversifying from large markets of domestically sourced cannabis to markets that now include a multitude of transiting drugs such as cocaine and heroin, in addition to illicitly manufactured pharmaceuticals and new domestic harmful combinations with unclear content.

“Representing a potential threat to public health is the emergence in Africa of mixtures and concoctions such as nyaope and, more recently, karkoubi and kush, among many others. Some such mixtures are home-made, and the actual composition of other mixtures may not be known to users. According to the limited evidence available, the mixtures often contain several harmful substances, such as various controlled drugs, pharmaceutical drugs (e.g., benzodiazepines), cannabis, alcohol and solvents.”

This is not a problem for the Central Drug Authority alone. Those crafting South Africa’s Cannabis Master Plan need to proactively engage with the reviewer of the National Drug Master Plan in order to align their respective strategies.

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