Although South Africa accounts for a tiny percentage of global cannabis trade, it is an important part of the bigger picture, with cannabis markets in Europe, the UK, Israel and Australia. Cannabiz Africa reports on international developments affecting the African cannabis and hemp sector as well as consumer market trends of interest to South African operators.
Gareth Prince is headline speaker at the Cheeba Cannabis and Hemp Summit 2026 which runs alongside the Cannabis Expo in Gauteng at the end of the month. The one-day event features over 30 speakers in what’s being billed as a powerful platform for deal-making, policy dialogue and investment alignment.
Cannabis links Africans across the world, and this should translate into collective mutual empowerment. That’s the vision behind Hemptech 2026 which takes place in Ghana next month to connect the African diaspora in the US with the opportunities ‘back home’.
Chinese scientists believe that cannabis had been integrated into the agricultural economy thousands of years ago with its primary uses being food and fibre. A new study reveals that cannabis was a staple crop among the ‘five grains’ that formed the foundation for farming in the Far East.
Across the EU, member states have been consistently locked in conflict with the developing hemp industry. Business of Cannabis Editor Ben Stevens investigates why governments are waging war on this legal and entirely non-intoxicating product.
A California study has shown that the biggest deterrent to illicit cannabis cultivation in any area is the presence of a licensed facility. The study found that this was consistently more effective than enforcement or bans in restricting illegal grow ops, because licensed facilities bought with them the spotlight of compliance.
The reclassification of cannabis as a ‘less dangerous drug’ has far-reaching beneficial implications for medical cannabis and research but has left the adult-use market in a limbo. CNN takes a deep dive into the implications of the rescheduling order signed last week by the US Attorney General.
420 Day was traditionally about the cannabis community coming together to celebrate underground weed culture. But now in the age of legal cannabis, the 4th of April has become a retail marketing hook with a focus on customer acquisition and retention.
Ghana is looking to leverage the investment power of its citizens living abroad to boost its fledgling cannabis industry. To this end Accra is hosting the 6th Annual HempTech Conference on June 19th – 20th, 2026 to bring together international investors, policymakers, innovators, and diaspora leaders.
In a major policy announcement, the US Department of Justice has announced the reclassification of cannabis from a Schedule 1 drug to a Schedule 3. This has far reaching implications for medical cannabis research and business tax, but does not legalize adult-use consumption at a federal level.
UCT’s Law School is to host a major international cannabis policy conference at the end of June, bringing together global thought-leaders to develop sustainable and inclusive cannabis policies. The three-day event is open to the general public who are encouraged to participate in the programme.
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