Cannabis seizures were up almost 20% in 2023 but the alarming statistic is in the amount of heroin confiscated. This is a fourfold rise over the previous year highlighting Mozambique’s growing role as a transhipment point in the international narcotics supply chain – and that of neighbouring South Africa.

Morocco is emerging as Africa’s leading exporter of legal cannabis with an estimated 225 tons shipped out this year,, almost as much as it exported in the whole of 2023. The Kingdom is limiting cultivation to the centuries-old Rif region cannabis growing areas and has a strict anti-recreational use laws. Now it has pardoned 5 000 small-scale cannabis offenders.

Zimbabwe is failing to live up to its expectations of being a major player in the African industrial cannabis sector. Although 61 various hemp licenses have been issued, exports have been minimal and there’s a long way to go before there’s any serious talk about cannabis reducing Zimbabwe’s dependence on tobacco.

Expediting major narcotics cases could improve Kenyans’ trust in the criminal justice system and help curb trafficking.

KKOG’s CEO Rene Joseph says the multi-million dollar cannabis processing facility is 70% complete and will open in September. The company has a five year license from the Rwanda Development Board, which also invested capital in the project. The primary aim is to export cannabis oils internationally and KKOG says it intends expanding its African footprint.

African policymakers in country’s allowing cannabis cultivation should re-evaluate existing cannabis laws as they are disproportionately repressive and largely ineffective. A new report says that to be effective, new cannabis laws need to be inclusive by actively seeking the input of cannabis stakeholders.

Morocco's partial legalisation of cannabis has seen the number of legal farmers rocket from 430 to 3 000 in just a year. This has seen the area under cannabis cultivation increase tenfold to 2 700 ha as the country cautiously reform the regulatory landscape.

Mozambique is lifting the lid on cannabis legalization. Speaking at a drug policy conference in Maputo, the President said he seeks ‘closer co-operation’ with other countries on how to legalize and regulate cannabis. The European Union has stepped up smartly and said it’s ready to help.

Africa produces about 25% of the world’s cannabis. Almost all of it is illegal and much of it is consumed domestically. According to a report on maritime smuggling, Madagascar is now the key illegal exporter of cannabis in Africa with syndicates specialising in repackaging and international distribution.

In a first-ever survey in Seychelles, Afrobarometer explored citizens' views on drugs. Seychellois say they want drug abuse, addiction, and trafficking to be prioritized after the management of the island's economy. The survey showed a strong resistance to legalization with 49% of those polled opposing it, while 30% were in favour.

Nitazenes can be 100 times more potent than heroin and 10 times the strength of fentanyl meaning that users get their high from small hits but with huge risks of overdosing. Now they’ve found their way into the West African drug market for the first time

Liberia says it’s facing a national health emergency because of widespread use of ‘kush cannabis’, a dangerous new cocktail that includes opioids, among the nation’s youth. Drug seizures over the past year reveal an alarming array of new synthetic psychoactive substances.