A well-regulated cannabis industry is critical to the development of this new sunrise sector. Structured, simple-to-implement legislation has enormous potential to stimulate economic growth, create jobs and contribute to a just transition to meet our climate and Sustainable Development Goal targets. The thoughtful design, implementation and continued appraisal and, when necessary, revision of regulations, are keys to the success of any cannabis industry.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government is working around the theme of “leave no one behind” and in his 2022 State of the Nation Address said that “we will review the policy and regulatory framework for industrial hemp and cannabis to realise the huge potential for investment and job creation. The hemp and cannabis sector has the potential to create more than 130,000 new jobs.
The current trajectory of industrial and medical cannabis is exclusionary of traditional growers and our indigenous cannabis. These growers will continue to produce and sell recreational cannabis on the illegal market where they are able.
Behind the curve as usual
I want to be a traditional grower.
But they want to ban smoking! Really, they are very confused!
Can we stop calling it 'dagga' please.
This is one economic frontier to demonstrate that indigenous population need its own space to eke out a living away from imported economic model by few for the majority and this must also be allowed to permeate all food production capacity that this country has!
I identify as a traditional dagga grower. We want Equals Rights!