Govt Offers Support for Cannabis Biotechnology Start-Ups to Make Buffalo City Metro Their Base
Have you got the prototype of a cannabis product that adds value to biomasss and want to take it further? You’re the person East London Industrial Development Zone is hoping to attract as it offers government support for budding biotechnology businesses to establish themselves in Eastern Cape.
SACHIDA Calls for Stakeholder Unity in Face of Major Challenges When Cannabis Act Finally Becomes Law
SACHIDA has slashed its membership fees to broaden its base as it muscles up for a major new challenge facing the cannabis industry. It says real danger lies ahead with Cannabis Act finally about to become law – the Act criminalizes all cannabis commercial activity even though the DTIC is working on a plan to make such ‘dealing’ legal.
Justice Dept: ‘We Thought About It, But Sorry, No Special Cannabis Dispensation for Rastas’
The Justice Department had intended to give Rastafarians special dispensation for cannabis use in the Cannabis Act, but dropped this after legal advice. This was revealed by a senior state lawyer at the National Cannabis Dialogue who said that it would be against the constitution to make a special case for Rastafarians.
Presidential Envoy Sihlobo: Stop Talking & Ease the Environment for Commercial Production
The President’s agricultural and lands envoy, Wandile Sihlobo says the hazy issues around the cannabis industry need to be cleared up urgently. He believes the cannabis industry will not be the game-changer everyone hopes it will be, but with the right regulations, could thrive.
‘Race to the Bottom’: New Study Proves Medical Cannabis Exports Will Not Create Jobs or Reduce Poverty
South Africa’s hopes of a playing a meaningful role in the global medical cannabis value chain are unwarranted. New research warns that an ‘export-only’ model is actually a ‘race to the bottom’, tying up capital in non-inclusive growth that does not make money, create jobs or alleviate rural poverty.
Justice Dept’s Mokulubete: Cannabis for Private Purposes Act Will Become Law this Year
Senior Justice Department official Makubela Mokulubete (pictured here) says the long-awaited Cannabis for Private Purposes Act will become operational before year end. He says 2 807 public submissions were received on the Act, these had been reviewed and the final regulations would be published soon.
National Cannabis Dialogue Stuck on Monologue as DTIC, NPA Stay Away and Govt Remains Hard of Hearing
The Department of Trade Industry and Competition didn’t pitch to the National Cannabis Dialogue and made no submission on its commercialization plans. Instead of any initiative from government’s side the national cannabis conversation is stuck on repeat, arrests continue, and the regulatory vacuum sucks all the fresh air out of the room.
Dialogue Delegates Pull No Punches: Criminalisation Costs the State Dearly and Entrenches Poverty
The National Cannabis Dialogue held last week in Gauteng gave cannabis stakeholders their first real access to government officials involved in cannabis reform. Although the Gauteng premier and Ekuruhleni mayor cancelled their appearances at the last moment, a range of other officials were in attendance.
John Jeffery Quits: DTIC’s Senior Cannabis Advisor Resigns Unexpectedly
The DTIC’s main cannabis advisor, John Jeffery, has resigned. The former deputy justice minister is yet to give a reason for his decision to quit as project manager for the Cannabis and Hemp Master Plan, and his departure will be a setback for cannabis commercialization plans.
Werksmans Note to Employers: Cannabis in The Workplace is the New Reality, So Get with the Programme
Cannabis cannot be defined as a ‘narcotic’ in the workplace, and a blanket ‘zero tolerance’ approach no longer holds up like it used to.Werksmans says employers should update workplace policies in light of a recent arbitration ruling against PFG Glass in favour of a worker dismissed for ‘impairment’