Cannabis reform is not a one way street, as Thailand has shown us. Once hailed as Asia’s beacon of progressive cannabis thinking, legalization is about to be rolled back with the plant to be reclassified as a narcotic.

The case between Barloworld and former employee Bernadette Enever, has been dragging on for months, even though the Labour Court ruled that her cannabis-related dismissal was unfair and awarded her R1 m settlement. Now the Constitutional Court has dismissed an appeal by Barloworld, saying that “impairment” is the key factor, not merely testing positive for cannabis.

Legalizing cannabis should generally take it out of the control of the black market. Right? Well, how much has legal tobacco kept the cigarette gangsters at bay? Depending on how SA policy makers structure reform, cannabis legalization could well play into the hands of organized crime.

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.

South Africa’s role as a key hub in international narco-trafficking is coming to the fore and the country is also a “cornerstone production location for crystal meth, cat, mandrax and MDMA. Now Interpol has dropped in for a look.

Official support for the fledgling SA cannabis industry is starting to shape up. The CSIR, with the support of other Government departments, has prepared 23 small businesses to take on the cannabis market

US Democratic Party presidential nominee Kamala Harris has been plunged into the limelight since Joe Biden's sudden resignation last week. Although she's been hstorically conservative around cannabis reform, expect this to change in the run-up to the November 2024 elections for the White House

Vaping has taken off in the South African cannabis community with retail outlets reporting rising sales over the past 12 months. A new law regulating vaping is imminent but the electronic waste issue has not been addressed.

Stella Nabeni-Abrahams says her Department will address the industrial cannabis value chain and the ‘mainstreaming’ of indigenous growers in the upcoming year.

The Czech government looks to be pursuing a full commercial adult-use cannabis market as part of its ‘Cannabis Management Act’, according to leaked documents. These envisage a cannabis regulatory model similar to that of the US and Germany.

SAPS appears to be increasing activity against illegal grow ops in Gauteng. In the third major bust in the past few months, seven people have been arrested and cannabis to the value of R40 million seized.

Snoop Dogg has launched his first licensed cannabis dispensary and exclusive product line under the Death Row Cannabis brand. The shop, S.W.E.D., is located near LAX airport in Los Angeles and the company said its first product line honours the late rapper