The Culture War: Factions, Egos, and the War for the Soul of Cannabis
Ego has become the barricade that prevents cannabis from realizing its full potential. Infighting among growers, scientists, and newcomers only strengthens the architects of exclusion, leaving us fractured from within. Guest columnist Lee Hymers writes that perhaps a dose of humility is needed all round.
Namibia: Bail for Okahandja Ganja Bust Driver: ‘I thought I was Transporting Meat Not Cannabis’
The driver accused of transporting 52 kg of cannabis in Namibia’s biggest ever cannabis bust has been released on N$50 000 bail after he claimed he was duped into transporting the consignment, which he thought was meat, His two co-accused , South African David van der Linden and farm manager Armand Schultz (pictured here) remain in custody until the legal proceedings continue in the new year.
Ghanaian Stakeholders Appeal to Parliament to Rethink ‘Unrealistic and Exclusionary’ Hemp Licence Fees
Ghana’s leading hemp activist organization, Hempire Agric Ghana (HAG) is to take up the shock hemp licensing fee issue with Parliament. HAG’s Nana Kwaku Agyemang (pictured here) says the proposed fees, the most expensive in the world, are unrealistic and exclusionary and out of kilter with the market.
South Africa is Now the Synthetic Drug Capital of Africa
Health authorities have long been warning of the drugs crisis unfolding in South Africa with heroin and cocaine use up sharply. The situation has now reached a point where South Africa now has the most pervasive synthetic drug market in Africa.
You’ve Got to be Kidding! Ghana Unveils the Most Expensive Licensing Regime in the World
Local farmers will have to cough up big time if they have hopes of participating in the West African country’s fledgling hemp sector. The licensing structure and proposed fees for the hemp sector are a slap in the face for small-scale farmers as they are heavily geared towards multinationals able to afford the dollar-denominated fees and attendant taxes.
Kenya’s Rastas in Renewed Push for Cannabis Legalization
A constitutional challenge by the Rastafari Society of Kenya pits religious freedom against decades-old narcotics laws, forcing a national debate on the future of cannabis. A High Court decision, expected in 2026, could have significant cultural and economic implications for the nation.
Namibian Govt Admits that Prohibition Cannot be ‘Scientifically, Morally or Rationally Justified’
Namibia’s government has made a ground-breaking admission in court papers that the prohibition of cannabis cannot be justified on scientific, moral or rational grounds. The Attorney General has filed a report with the Windhoek High Court opposing the Ganja Users of Namibia’s application to have cannabis prohibition laws overturned saying its not up to the courts to decide cannabis policy, but the executive.
It’s All About Adding Value! Zimbabwe Looks Beyond Cultivation to Develop Cannabis Sector
The future of Zimbabwean cannabis lies beyond cultivation, it’s about adding value. This is the view of Thathokuhle Farm owner Mike Querl (pictured here), who recently hosted a visit by the Minister of Agriculture, Dr Anxious Masuka. Dr Masuka echoed that view saying Zimbabwe was entering a new phase of industrialization and beneficiating raw material was part of the strategy.
Botswana Sets Ambitious Cannabis Targets: Seeks 42 k Ton Output by 2029
Botswana Acting Lands and Agriculture Minister Dr Edwin Dikoloti (pictured here) has announced an ambitious plan targeting an output of 42 000 tons of cannabis by 2029, for both industrial hemp and medicinal cannabis, during a Public Investment Programme (PIP) presentation.
SA Now the Most Corrupt Country in Africa After the DRC
South Africa is second only to the DRC in the Top 10 African countries worst hit by organized crime. ENACT, which released its 2025 survey findings, says SA’s rating places it among the continent’s countries most vulnerable to ‘state capture’, reflecting deep-rooted criminal networks and systemic challenges.