Jo’burg Global Cannabis March: Culture is Alive, Community is Growing, Conversation Far From Over
On Saturday, 2 May 2026, the streets of Johannesburg came alive as cannabis activists, industry leaders, artists, entrepreneurs and supporters gathered for the Jo’burg leg of the Global Cannabis March. This report from FGFA’s Joanne Parry.
Wine Industry Could Learn from the High Standards Set by Some ‘Grey Zone’ Cannabis Retailers
The wine industry should wake up to the fact that it is competing with the cannabis sector in the ‘taking the edge off the day’ space. That’s the view of veteran wine writer Christian Eedes, who says wine retailers could take a lesson from the level of service, product knowledge and quality of customer interaction at many ‘Grey Zone’ cannabis outlets.
Just How Many Kilos of Contraband Cannabis can a Quantum Carry?
If we’re going for the record books here, just how much cannabis can be transported in a Toyota Quantum? It would be hard to beat the challenge from Mpumulanga this week, in which a minibus taxi stopped by police near Graskop was found to be carrying 1 025,36 kg of bagged weed.
Africa’s So-Called Cannabis-Friendly Nations Aren’t That Friendly to Their Own People
Africa has been largely left behind by the international cannabis boom and that’s the fault of the continent’s policy-makers. Africa Editor John Makoni writes that there will be no change as long as government’s persevere with hodgepodge regulations that exclude local citizens from participating in a domestic cannabis economies.
‘Communities Benefited from Rooibos, Adapt this Model for Cannabis to Protect Landraces’
South Africa’s cannabis landraces have been touted as a heritage asset but they exist in a legal vacuum. The Rooibos industry developed a community-benefit model for the people harvesting the tea. Could this model be adapted to the cannabis industry to protect landraces?
Lesotho Completely Overhauls Cannabis Oversight with New Regulations Expected Soon
Lesotho has completely revamped its cannabis oversight structures in the past year and is soon to publish new licensing and inspection guidelines. A new regulatory body, Lesotho Medicines Regulatory Authority (LeMeRA), is now in charge of the sector along with the newly formed Lesotho Narcotics Bureau (LNB).
Major Zambian Policy Shift: Cannabis to be Integrated into Public Health System
Zambia is to introduce cannabis into its medical system for the benefit of the local population. This is a radical departure from its ‘export only’ licensing regime and has profound implications for public health and insurance. A new National Cannabis Co-ordinating Committee has been set up to establish new cannabis protocols.
New Study Confirms Cannabis was one of Ancient China’s Five ‘Core Crops’
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.
Stellebosch Scientists Flavoalkaloids Discovery Gets International Recognition
Stellenbosch University scientists have just had their flavoalkaloid discovery published in Science Daily. Flavoalkaloids are a rare group of phenolic compounds found in cannabis leaves, adding a surprising new dimension to the plant’s chemistry.
ARC Economists: KZN Legacy Growers ‘Strongly Resistant’ to Switching to Hemp
Hemp is often promoted as a game-changing crop for South Africa’s rural economy, but farmers in KwaZulu-Natal tell a different story. ARC agricultural economists Lesiba Pertunia Mailula, Noluthando Ngcobo, Blessing Zitha and Siphe Zantsi explain the mistrust, fear, and realities behind the resistance.