South Africa's new Country Investment Strategy (CIS) has identified the export of high quality medical cannabis as the driver of what it calls Strategic Investment Frontier Number Four. Oh dear. Mistake Number One before we've even got to the Fourth Frontier. The first driver of cannabis reform should be the opening up of the commercial trade of cannabis and related products in the domestic market. The private sector has pointed the obvious economic logic of this to the Government time and time and time again: a succesful export industry is best built on a thriving local market that enables the development of new products and brands that can be incubated before exposed to the world stage. It takes time to develop an international reputation. Three years ago, South Africa - and the rest of the continent, may have been in the running for being a player in the European medical cannabis market. Just like we had the potential to be a world leader in hemp 25 years ago. But Government aversion to reality and policy paralysis has let those opportunities slip by. Today the situation is radically different. Legalization of medical cannabis in Europe is unfolding far more rapidly than the industry anticipated. With the prospect of Germany introducing adult-use consumption within the next two years and medicinal cannabis patient numbers climbing through the roof, the foundation for a multi-billion dollar high quality, high-THC cannabis is being laid in Europe. That should be good news for Africa. But in the dynamic world of canna-geopolitics, we are once again in danger of being marginalized. Portugal has literally pipped us to the post. Two recent comments from global industry leaders have cast a shadow over South Africa's cannabis strategy, and the unfortunate Akanda boardroom blow-out has tarnished Africa's reputation as a place where one can do business. These comments point to Portugal's rising prominence in global cannabis. Akanda's CEO, Tej Virk, rightfully miffed at the twilight actions of former executive chair Louise Mojela, and looking to secure a foothold in the German market, said the Nasdaq-listed multinational was committed to its Lesotho investment. But he said, it made more sense to service the European market from the group's Portuguese subsididiary, Holigen, rather than Africa. "With Holigen, Akanda believes it has more than sufficient capacity to produce premium quality indoor, outdoor and greenhouse medical cannabis within the European Union as the market matures. Additionally, with shifting market dynamics, we have found higher demand from German and UK customers for product produced in Portugal than Lesotho due to evolving EU regulations”. Prohibition Partners' founder Stephen Murphy told Canna Reporter on 14 August 2022: , “There is enough cannabis being grown in Portugal that it could supply all of Europe. There is already oversupply in Portugal” So where does this leave southern Africa? A bit on the margins, as usual. What our cannabis policy commissars should be doing with serious urgency is to relook at their assumptions underlying cannabis reform. The country's cannabis economy will be dead in the water if it is based only on exports, and by neglecting the local market, Government continues to criminalize the very people it professes to want to help. And besides that, there's an underlying hypocrisy at stake. What is it about Africa that it wants to export the benefits of a natural resource without allowing Africans the same benefit? Why is high-THC cannabis good for Europe and not for us? South Africa should be leading the way in showing the rest of the continent how we can use the power of the plant to transform the lives of millions of people, particularly in rural areas. However, until such time as the Government accepts the reality of the existing illegal cannabis economy and puts in place a firm plan to bring it into the mainstream, it risks igniting the laws of unintended consequences and the prospect of a lose-lose situation. Cannabis is emerging as the new colonialism in the African vacuum. It exposes our policy makers as being cut-and-paste puppets who are quick to satisfy the needs of big business at the expense of our people. We should stop looking to Europe as our salvation and be bold enough to believe in ourselves. Full adult-use legalization is the only solution. All the evidence is available to craft a new cannabis law that allows for the commercial trade in cannabis and related products with all the harms-reduction measures in place. And as a matter of urgency, cannabis-related arrests must stop!

Vegetative stage – Soil mix and nutrients The teething problems we’ve experienced with our #seedling has (luckily) come to an end. Our #BlueDream plant is now growing rapidly and showing no signs of any issues that might hold her back. We’ve decided to transplant into more nutrient rich soil, as the plant requires feeding, especially nitrogen in its vegetative stage. The #plant will now develop most of the foliage and a strong root system. A good soil mix is important at this stage. The benefits of #organic soil are staggering. We recommend the following components for an optimum greenhouse mix: Coco coir Bagged soil (preferably organic compost) Vermiculite Perlite Bat guano Kelp meal Bone meal Dolomite Lime Mycorrhizae supplement The combination of the above and specific amounts is up to you. The internet and various grow guides will help with this process, but we recommend #experimenting with different mixes and combinations that are specific to your style of growing and your personal environment. Get to know your #ingredients and their benefits and then figure out what your plant needs during vegetative and flower stage. Currently during veg, the feeding should be high nitrogen, low phosphorus, and moderate potassium: for example, 9-4-5. The alternative is to buy a #premixed craft #soil, but these are expensive, especially if you grow quite a few plants at a time. Craft soils have all the macro and micronutrients needed for your plants growth, and are a good start for any beginner, if cost is of no concern. Read All the Blom Grow Diary Entries In Our #HomeGrow Section #homegrom #cannabis #weed #marijuana #hemp #bluedream #growguides #week6and7 #cannabizafrica

Seedling Stage – Patiently waiting… As we have mentioned last week, we’ve picked up some #problems with our seedling. Even though this may have put us behind on our expected grow cycle for about a week or two, luckily we’ve managed to save our plant. “Stretching” seemed to be the main issue here. #Transplanting and keeping an eye on the seedling’s light cycle helped a bit, but we took some drastic measures by gently “super cropping” the plant. This is a high stress training technique where the plant is stressed in a strategic way by crushing the stems. This boosts growth in your plant, and helps you train it effectively. This is not recommended in seedling stage, but desperate times, as they say. We gently pressed the stem of the seedling, applying only enough pressure not to break the plant. After a few days we noticed our seedling developed healthier growth. Short internodes and compact, green foliage are all signs that seedlings are growing perfectly. For now, we wait. Checking in daily is extremely important. There will be signs that indicate if your plant is happy and healthy or needs intervention. During #vegetative stage and especially after our plants experienced a lot of stress, we like to play them some music. #Plants thrive when they listen to music that sits between #115Hz and 250Hz, as the vibrations emulate similar sounds in nature. This promotes faster, healthier growth (although more concrete studies on cannabis are needed). The trick is to find the right #music your plants respond to. According to #science, Classical music and Jazz seems to be the main choice for ultimate plant stimulation. Plants only like to be exposed to music for 1 to 3 hours per day. This is one of BLOM’s favorite playlists: Cheek to Cheek – Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong At Last – Etta James I Put a Spell on You – Nina Simone I Can’t Write Left Handed – Bill Withers Crazy – Patsy Cline Sittin on the Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding Take Yo’Praise – Camille Yarbrough Into the Mystic – Van Morisson Let’s Stay Together – Al Green Back in Black – Amy Winehouse

Retail Hemp Comes of Age as Hemporium Opens Flagship Store in Cape Town 10 October 2024 Hemporium has struggled against the odds to establish itself as the leading hemp retail chain in the country. The Cape-based company recently opened its flagship store in the Cape Town’s Hemp Hotel, offering the largest range of hemp products in Africa. Marketing Manager Shale Tinkler (pictured above) spoke to Cannabiz Africa publisher Brett Hilton-Barber about the trials and tribulations of pioneering hemp retail and what advice he has for entrepreneurs looking to enter this sector. Read Article DA Leader Now in Charge of Cannabis Master Plan, Promises Relief For Legacy Growers And Says Justice Dept and Trade & Industry Will Oversee Legislative Alignment 9 October 2024 New Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen says “implementing the Cannabis Master Plan is a critical priority” but it is “being hindered by the lack of legislative alignment which needs urgent attention”. He says the Agriculture Dept is bears overall responsibility for the Plan, the DTIC will “oversee” it, Read Article Cherokees Legalize Adult-Use in Own Territory in Prohibitionist North Carolina 9 October 2024 The legalization of cannabis across the US has left North Carolina behind. Here medical and recreational use remains prohibited, but that hasn’t stopped the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) to leverage their sovereignty to became the first indigenous tribe to launch a regulated cannabis market. Read Article Medical Cannabis SA: Here’s What You Need to Know 8 October 2024 There has been a huge upsurge of Section 21 medical cannabis patients in the last year, with SAHPRA expressing concern that many ‘dispensaries’ offering this service are actually just a front for ‘recreational’ sales. Just what is the current legal landscape in terms of medical cannabis in South Africa? Bassani Medical Cannabis CEO Mike Stringer lays down the line. Read Article UK Study: Many ‘Cannabis Vapes’ Contain a Dangerous ‘Synthetic Cannabinoid” 8 October 2024 ‘Synthetic Cannabinoids’ (SC’s) are prevelant in the cannabis vapes sourced from the US being sold in the UK. A University of Bath study has revealed that vaping might not be such a ‘less harmful’ way of ingesting cannabis than previously believed. Read Article Africa is ‘Modernizing’ its Hemp Policies But It’s on a Slow Path to Being a Global Player 7 October 2024 The African Hemp Fund reports that industrial cannabis, or hemp, is experiencing “significant economic expansion” in Africa although the overall regulatory market remains constrained. Despite this analysts project that Africa’s industrial hemp industry possesses a market potential of US$2.4 billion – and this excludes CBD, which itself is a massive market. Read Article The South African Consumer Market’s ‘Dagga Dilemma’: Regulations vs Reality 7 October 2024 In the last year there has been an explosion of private cannabis shops, clubs and dispensaries across South Africa’s metros. Most of the so-called “grey zone” consumer-orientated cannabis outlets are actually very much ‘black’, and against the law. Even though police appear to be turning a blind eye to this thriving ‘wild west’ sector, stakeholders have called for legal clarity on how commercial cannabis will be regulated. Read Article Breaking New Frontiers: Afriplex Unveils Process to Turn Cannabinoids into Non-Cannabis Catalysts For Industrial Applications 3 October 2024 Afriplex, a subsidiary of the investment group, Impilovest, has invested R150 million in upgrading its scientific technology capacity in the past four years and has entered a completely new space in the cannabis industry. It has invested in highly-specialized equipment that uses cannabinoids as building blocks to create new compounds and processes. These have nothing to do with traditional cannabis applications but have a wide range of industrial and other uses. Read Article Hemp SA: A Quick Guide to the State of the Sector 3 October 2024 Industrial cannabis (hemp) is where all Government’s energy is going and this is clearly where the most entrepreneurial opportunities lie. Control over non-medical cannabis is being handed over to the Agriculture Department and the plant will soon be dropped from the Drugs Act. This changes in the regulatory framework are slowly coming into place. Read Article Cannabis USA: The Economic Upside of Legalization 3 October 2024 There’s no doubt that despite the pain many cannabis companies have felt, the industry itself is burgeoning, creating new businesses and jobs, opening up fresh markets – and importantly, from a government perspective, adding big numbers to the fiscus. In the US, legal cannabis jurisdictions generated over US$4 billion in tax revenue in 2023. Read Article Hemp Seed is a 'Super-Food', Would be Great for School Feeding Schemes But Regulators Are the Problem 2 October 2024 A recent Cheeba Africa webinar on 'Hemp as Food', revealed the huge potential for industrial cannabis to be used as a healthy foodstuff. Although hemp is ideal for boosting young brains, the stigma surrounding cannabis is blocking health authorities from allowing hemp-based food products to be used in school feeding schemes. Read Article THC Appeal Court Date Set for 19 November, Has Far-Reaching Implications for All Private Cannabis Clubs 29 September 2024 On 19 November 2024 the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein will finally hear the case of The Haze Club (THC). This is almost two years after a Western Cape reserved judgement on the matter which has implications for the legal status of South Africa’s scores of private cannabis clubs Read Article Explore More EXPLORE THE CENTRAL HUB FOR CRUCIAL INSIGHTS INTO ALL NEWS -CANNABIS News covering everything from South African & International breaking news, to legal reform and advocacy, marketplace changes, cannabis industry analysis, health & wellness & much more! SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE Home African News South African News International News All News Marketplace Business News More Hydrobiz We've Helped do this, let us help you! 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24/10/10 Read More TOP STORIES Retail Hemp Comes of Age as Hemporium Opens Flagship Store in Cape Town 24/10/09 Read More TOP STORIES DA Leader Now in Charge of Cannabis Master Plan, Promises Relief For Legacy Growers And Says Justice Dept and Trade and Industry Will Oversee Legislative Alignment 24/10/09 Read More TOP STORIES Cherokees Legalize Adult-Use in Own Territory in Prohibitionist North Carolina 24/10/08 Read More TOP STORIES Medical Cannabis SA: Here’s What You Need to Know 24/10/08 Read More TOP STORIES UK Study: Many ‘Cannabis Vapes’ Contain a Dangerous ‘Synthetic Cannabinoid” 24/10/07 Read More TOP STORIES Africa is ‘Modernizing’ its Hemp Policies But It’s on a Slow Path to Being a Global Player Retail Hemp Comes of Age as Hemporium Opens Flagship Store in Cape Town Read More IN THE SPOTLIGHT THE HUB FOR CANNABIS NEWS & RESOURCES: BREAKING NEWS , CANNABIS POLITICS, BUSINESS INVESTMENTS, MARKETPLACE & MORE! Keep scrolling for an overview of the website or EXPLORE MORE to jump straight to the latest breaking news! Explore More COMING IN FRESH STAY IN THE KNOW WITH TOP STORIES Find out what people are searching for regarding the latest Cannabis News! Be well-informed and in the loop by reading the most searched articles HERE hemp retail National Cannabis Master Plan cannabis usa medical cannabis vaping SA hemp MOST TRENDING TOPICS Discover all types of cannabis brands inside our marketplace – a bustling hub where businesses meet cannabis consumers to provide quality services, products and opportunities. ​ Whether you’re an enthusiast looking to learn more about marijuana with cannabis education, CBD and lifestyle cannabis brands, explore grow equipment or venture into the industry with business and career opportunities in South Africa’s marijuana marketplace. Local South African CBD & THC products coming soon! Subscribe for updates on the launch of these miracle products! Coming Soon Hemp Seed is a 'Super-Food', Would be Great for School Feeding Schemes But Regulators Are the Problem Read NOW HEALTH & WELLNESS Cannabiz Africa is extremely dedicated to bringing you the freshest news so you get to stay up to date on every health and wellness development. Delve into the health and wellness of cannabis and learn about the latest on-going research, CBD & THC products and the most breaking news. Explore More IN OTHER CURRENT NEWS Catch up on the latest news & updates here 24/10/09 DA Leader Now in Charge of Cannabis Master Plan, Promises Relief For Legacy Growers And Says Justice Dept and Trade and Industry Will Oversee Legislative Alignment 24/10/09 Cherokees Legalize Adult-Use in Own Territory in Prohibitionist North Carolina 24/10/08 Medical Cannabis SA: Here’s What You Need to Know 24/10/08 UK Study: Many ‘Cannabis Vapes’ Contain a Dangerous ‘Synthetic Cannabinoid” 24/10/07 Africa is ‘Modernizing’ its Hemp Policies But It’s on a Slow Path to Being a Global Player 24/10/07 The South African Consumer Market’s ‘Dagga Dilemma’: Regulations vs Reality 24/10/03 Breaking New Frontiers: Afriplex Unveils Process to Turn Cannabinoids into Non-Cannabis Catalysts For Industrial Applications 24/10/03 Hemp SA: A Quick Guide to the State of the Sector 24/10/03 Cannabis USA: The Economic Upside of Legalization 24/10/02 Hemp Seed is a 'Super-Food', Would be Great for School Feeding Schemes But Regulators Are the Problem 24/09/29 THC Appeal Court Date Set for 19 November, Has Far-Reaching Implications for All Private Cannabis Clubs 24/09/26 KZN Agriculture Says It Will Help Hemp Farmers with Permits, Support and Marketing Browse All News Cannabiz Africa Newsline The Business Of Cannabis Coming Fresh every Week. Stay ahead in the cannabis industry! Subscribe to CANNABIZ AFRICA NEWSLINE for weekly insights on the business of cannabis. Fresh updates every week! Enter Your Email Join Thanks for subscribing!

Cultivation Hemp seeds Genetics Germination Bluedream cannabizafrica Browse the Homegrow Diaries of Industry Professionals! Brett Hilton-Barber Aug 22, 2022 3 min Portugal Cannabis Revolution May Blow Africa's Export Aspirations Out the Water 16 0 comments 0 2 likes. Post not marked as liked 2 Blom Dec 6, 2021 1 min BLOM BASICS GROW GUIDE Blom Basics: Week 6 & 7 13 0 comments 0 Post not marked as liked Blom Oct 20, 2021 2 min BLOM BASICS GROW GUIDE Blom Basics: Week 4 & 5 6 0 comments 0 Post not marked as liked Blom Oct 4, 2021 2 min BLOM BASICS GROW GUIDE Blom Basics: Week 3 13 0 comments 0 Post not marked as liked Homegrow News & Updates Dep Lights at the End of the Tunnel! How Hydrobiz Bucked the Consolidation Trend in Home Grow Retail The South African cannabis home grow market has been overtraded this year with many businesses closing down. Hydrobiz has bucked this trend by rapidly expanding into the SAHPRA licensee market. CEO Brett Young reflects on the current state of the market and unpacks who is buying what. Explore More New Frontier Data: Home Grow Ushers in a New Era of Opportunity One of the biggest opportunities that’s come with cannabis legalization has been the home grow market. South African entrepreneurs should be aware of the millions of rand of potential spend in this sector, if the example of the United States is anything to go by. Explore More ​ ​ Explore More Yes. As per the landmark cannabis judgement in 2018, citizen’s can grow and use cannabis recreationally or for medicinal purposes within the privacy of their own home without fear of prosecution. There are limits on the amount of plants you can grow and have in your possession. IS IT LEGAL TO GROW CANNABIS IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR PERSONAL USE? Yes. As per the landmark cannabis judgement in 2018, citizen’s can grow and use cannabis recreationally or for medicinal purposes within the privacy of their own home without fear of prosecution. There are limits on the amount of plants you can grow and have in your possession. IS IT LEGAL TO GROW CANNABIS IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR PERSONAL USE? Yes. As per the landmark cannabis judgement in 2018, citizen’s can grow and use cannabis recreationally or for medicinal purposes within the privacy of their own home without fear of prosecution. There are limits on the amount of plants you can grow and have in your possession. IS IT LEGAL TO GROW CANNABIS IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR PERSONAL USE? Yes. As per the landmark cannabis judgement in 2018, citizen’s can grow and use cannabis recreationally or for medicinal purposes within the privacy of their own home without fear of prosecution. There are limits on the amount of plants you can grow and have in your possession. IS IT LEGAL TO GROW CANNABIS IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR PERSONAL USE? Yes. As per the landmark cannabis judgement in 2018, citizen’s can grow and use cannabis recreationally or for medicinal purposes within the privacy of their own home without fear of prosecution. There are limits on the amount of plants you can grow and have in your possession. IS IT LEGAL TO GROW CANNABIS IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR PERSONAL USE? Yes. As per the landmark cannabis judgement in 2018, citizen’s can grow and use cannabis recreationally or for medicinal purposes within the privacy of their own home without fear of prosecution. There are limits on the amount of plants you can grow and have in your possession. IS IT LEGAL TO GROW CANNABIS IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR PERSONAL USE? Yes. As per the landmark cannabis judgement in 2018, citizen’s can grow and use cannabis recreationally or for medicinal purposes within the privacy of their own home without fear of prosecution. There are limits on the amount of plants you can grow and have in your possession. IS IT LEGAL TO GROW CANNABIS IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR PERSONAL USE? Yes. As per the landmark cannabis judgement in 2018, citizen’s can grow and use cannabis recreationally or for medicinal purposes within the privacy of their own home without fear of prosecution. There are limits on the amount of plants you can grow and have in your possession. IS IT LEGAL TO GROW CANNABIS IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR PERSONAL USE? Yes. As per the landmark cannabis judgement in 2018, citizen’s can grow and use cannabis recreationally or for medicinal purposes within the privacy of their own home without fear of prosecution. There are limits on the amount of plants you can grow and have in your possession. IS IT LEGAL TO GROW CANNABIS IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR PERSONAL USE? FAQ You Asked, We Answered Equipment & Resources GROW LIGHTS Learn about and explore high quality cannabis grow lights to find the ideal match for your indoor grow setup at home (LED, CFL & HPS grow lights). Discover GROW TENTS Explore high quality grow tents from reputable suppliers, and learn more about grow tents and creating the right environment for growing cannabis. Discover CANNABIS GROWING MEDIUMS Explore types of growing mediums, nutrient solutions and amendments that are ideal for growing cannabis and learn about soil based and hydroponic mediums including coco coir, rockwool and more. Discover GROW SYSTEMS Explore types of grow systems such as smart pots, autopots, hydroponic systems and aeroponic systems and learn about how you can use them to grow incredible cannabis. Discover HARVESTING & EXTRACTION Learn about the cannabis’ harvesting phase, including when to harvest, dry, trim & cure your buds to achieve a quality end product. Explore harvesting accessories to help you manage the process from start to finish. Discover CHEEBA AFRICA Skills & Recruitment; Professional Services An Elevated Cannabis Experience Hydrobiz Professional Services We've Helped do this, let us help you! Support Locals Professional Services Key sponsorship and promotion opportunities for new products and services Networking for your business Skills & Recruitment Key sponsorship and promotion opportunities for new products and services Support your community Professional Services, Classifieds Key sponsorship and promotion opportunities for new products and services Meet like minded people Skills & Recruitment Key sponsorship and promotion opportunities for new products and services Discover Home Grow Equipment & Resources for Cannabis Whether you’re just starting out, or you’re looking to enhance your outdoor or indoor weed grow setup – we have the perfect range of cannabis growing equipment to match your marijuana growing ambitions. ​ Find everything from LED grow lights, grow tents, fans, and hydroponic setups, to environmental equipment and controls, harvesting accessories, extraction equipment and plenty more. ​ Design your ideal cannabis growing setup with high quality growing equipment available in South Africa. Discover cannabis growing equipment we’ve curated from reliable online suppliers in South Africa South African Landraces If you're a cannabis "fundi" this section is right for you! Discover all there is to know about cannabis landraces; the intimate history, cultivation and domestication of the millennia old plant with its traditional landrace varieties. Download the pdf articles here which make for very fascinating reading. Agricultural History Cannabis Trade 1850 - now High Content THC Domestication HOMEGROW Reinventing the Experience GROW CANNABIS AT HOME IN SOUTH AFRICA WITH HIGH QUALITY GROW EQUIPMENT & RESOURCES Learn everything you need to know about growing cannabis at home and explore high quality cannabis growing equipment curated from a selection of reputable suppliers in South Africa. If you are a supplier of grow equipment, you can learn more about advertising with us and get in touch. CHEEBA AFRICA An Elevated Cannabis Experience Hydrobiz We've Helped do this, let us help you! Support Locals Key sponsorship and promotion opportunities for new products and services Networking for your business Key sponsorship and promotion opportunities for new products and services Support your community Key sponsorship and promotion opportunities for new products and services Meet like minded people Key sponsorship and promotion opportunities for new products and services