Nyandeni Municipality Punts Cannabis as an Investment Opportunity to Ease Dreadful Poverty Explore More Thailand: Pro Cannabis Party Makes Better Than Expected Parliamentary Gains Explore More Portland, Oregon is the Most “Cannabis Friendly" City in the US; Birmingham, Alabama the Least Explore More PREVIOUS NEXT Carolyn Doley, Daily Maverick 23/02/12, 11:00 Former South African President Kgalema Mothlante is part of a new initiative that is working out appropriate southern Africandrug policies in the wake of the failure of the 'War Against Drugs'. Part of the plan, which is based on a human rights approach to substance abuse, is to encourage law enforcement to clamp down on narco-traffickers and to provide better social support for drug users. This report by author and leading investigative journalist Carolyn Doley first appeared in the Daily Maverick on 12 February 2024. The Eastern and Southern Africa Commission on Drugs (ESADC), which involves ex-presidents including South Africa’s Kgalema Motlanthe, was launched in Cape Town on Saturday 11 February 2023. It will push for law enforcers to focus on narcotraffickers instead of criminalising users, who need better support. More heroin from Afghanistan and destined for Western markets is ending up in eastern and southern Africa. In South Africa, the trade of inexpensive heroin is linked to another crisis – gang violence in Cape Town. Daily Maverick has reported extensively on how major drug syndicates, with links to countries including Brazil , Australia and the US , are operating by way of South Africa. Beneath these global and local narcotrafficking problems are drug users, who can end up in prison for what some view as unreasonable lengths of time and who lack access to health-related interventions they need. Ex-presidents and experts This is where ESACD fits in. The ESCAD is aimed at law reform and better ways of dealing with drug users as there is a consensus that the “war on drugs” – cracking down on illegal drug use – has largely failed and that there are more humane ways to deal with related issues. Launched in Cape Town on Saturday 11 February 2023, the commission follows the model of the West Africa Commission on Drugs. According to its website, the West Africa commission was launched in 2014 “to mobilise political attention and practical responses to [drug trafficking-related] challenges”. The ESACD is also linked to the Global Commission on Drug Policy that was created in 2011. It comprises four commissioners. Three of them are former presidents: Kgalema Motlanthe of South Africa (who is also on the global commission), Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique Cassam Uteem of Mauritius. Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim of South Africa, one of the world’s leading Aids researchers and an infectious diseases epidemiologist. ‘Harmful and failed war on drugs’ Helen Clark, the global commission’s chair and a former prime minister of New Zealand, spoke at the ESACD’s launch. She said there was a global growing appreciation of the “very real harms associated with the prohibitionist approach of the war on drugs”. Clark added: “It has led to really massive human rights violations. It’s associated with harsh and utterly disproportionate treatment of people convicted of so-called drug offences ranging all the way to the death penalty. “Over-incarceration is very much associated with this prohibitionist drive.” She said this could be proven by looking at prison populations and checking how many inmates were detained on drug-offence charges. “The ‘war on drugs’ has failed…We urgently need new drug policies that prioritise people’s health and well-being”. Former President Kgalema Motlanthe, chair of the Eastern & Southern Africa Commission on Drugs (ESACD) at today’s launch in Cape Town. #ESACD #drugs pic.twitter.com/0lcylsM2Zh — Julian Rademeyer – @julianrademeyer@newsie.social (@julianrademeyer) February 10, 2023 “The global commission,” Clark said, “takes the view that the prohibitionist approach was always bound to fail. Throughout human history human beings have reached for some kind of substance for whatever reason.” Regulation and decriminalisation She explained that different ways to regulate drugs, as was the case with alcohol and tobacco, which could also be harmful, needed to be looked at. “There is a great deal of momentum around the world on drug law reform,” Clark said. This included decriminalisation. She referred to Uruguay and Canada. In 2013 Uruguay legalised recreational cannabis use and, five years later, Canada followed suit and legalised the drug for recreational use. Germany, Clark said, was considering doing the same. She acknowledged that, in trying to push for “forward-leaning reform” in Africa, “you’re trying to overturn decades of the so-called ‘war on drugs’ approach”. ‘Cops should focus on kingpins’ Motlanthe explained that the commission’s focus was “on harm reduction, decriminalisation and, of course, the criminal justice system, rather than penalising end users.” He added: “[Law enforcers] should really focus on the manufacturers, and the traffickers, the major players, because the focus on the end users [negatively affects] the prison population and creates all manner of violation of basic human rights.” Motlanthe hoped the commission would give key communities a voice “given the criminalisation and prohibition of drugs has resulted in the human rights of even children and young people being violated”. He said alternative and “more humane ways” needed to be found to deal with drug-related societal problems. Chissano agreed with Motlanthe’s statements and said a key focus was to research how to combat “bad” drugs in a good way. Aspects of the fight against drugs, he explained, could become harmful. Chissano hoped lessons could be learned from West Africa, which launched its drugs commission nearly a decade ago. Health effects and overdoses Abdool Karim said the drug problem was multifaceted. “It’s not just an issue for the eastern and southern African region, but globally what we’ve been seeing is an increase in drug consumption in very complex ways, with many ramifications at a community level,” she said. “It’s not something that can be solved by one entity or one ministry.” Abdool Karim detailed some ways in which drug use could affect a person’s health. “We already have a high burden of HIV. Sixty percent of the global burden of infection is in eastern and southern Africa,” she said. “It’s primarily being transmitted sexually but, with the increase in substance use, we’re seeing an increase also in injecting drug use which provides a new mode of transmission.” Abdool Karim said increased purification of some drugs, as well as the price of drugs, was leading to more deaths from overdoses. In terms of the “war on drugs”, she said “what we’ve learned very clearly, [there is] substantive evidence to show, that’s not the way to go”. She added: “What we need is a human rights approach … we need a more humane way of dealing with it that includes law reform.” Many narcotrafficking methods At the ESACD launch, the issue of mass drug consignments being smuggled in shipping containers was focused on. Shaun Shelly, an ex-deputy-secretary of the UN’s Vienna NGO Committee on Narcotic Drugs, said this was just one of the methods traffickers were using. “To exercise stringent border control on containers … you’d basically have to shut down all trade,” he said. “It’s already tremendously problematic to search that number of containers … and also, transnational organised criminal enterprises have many ways, besides containers. “We know that, down the east coast of Africa, there’ve been bales of drugs just dumped in the currents … they’ve got tracking devices on them and they get picked up off the coast.” Bernice Apondi, of VOCAL-Kenya , a human rights NGO dedicated to transforming drug control laws, said traffickers were exceptionally creative. Some were using motorbikes to transport drugs and others were employing school-going children as couriers. DM SOUTH AFRICAN CANNABIS INDUSTRY BREAKING NEWS Brought to you by: “Rethink Prohibition and Stop Picking on Users”: New Era on the Horizon as Eastern and South African Commission on Drugs Launched to Re-Examine drug policies. Home African News South African News International News All News Marketplace Business News More All South African News Are Sponsored by: CHEEBA AFRICA Hydrobiz Support Locals Networking for your business Meet like minded people Advertise with us today Connecting People Opportunity for all Supporting Business Growth

Nyandeni Municipality Punts Cannabis as an Investment Opportunity to Ease Dreadful Poverty Explore More Thailand: Pro Cannabis Party Makes Better Than Expected Parliamentary Gains Explore More Portland, Oregon is the Most “Cannabis Friendly" City in the US; Birmingham, Alabama the Least Explore More PREVIOUS NEXT Brett Hilton-Barber 22/09/21, 10:00 Two significant court actions have been launched in the wake of last weekend’s cannabis mass action protests. THC has filed an application to the Supreme Court of Appeal on the Western Cape ruling against private cannabis clubs, and FGFA is to relaunch the “Trial of the Plant” in the Pretoria High Court as community organizations resort to lawfare to straighten the Justice Department’s thinking around cannabis legislation. Cannabis Lawfare is now the name of the game as the gloves come off between community organizations and the private sector on the one hand, and various Government departments on the other. Two significant court actions have been launched in the last few days: FGFA is to reactivate “The Trial of the Plant”, the 2017 case against seven Government Departments challenging the continued prohibition of cannabis. FGFA made the announcement on 21 September 2022 and have taken on cannabis legal heavyweight Paul-Michael Kiechel of Cullinan and Associates to advise on strategy. “We will be narrowing our challenge so as to not fight over territory already gained” says FGFA spokesperson Charl Henning. “Our focus, fundamentally, will be to ensure that anyone who wishes to is allowed to earn a living through cannabis, as so many are hypocritically permitted to do through the cultivation of and trade in everything related to alcohol and tobacco”. The Haze Club (THC) has filed leave to appea l against the Western Cape High Court decision confirming the illegality of Private Cannabis Clubs (PCC’s). The Court gave THC until 19 September 2022 to file papers with the Supreme Court of Appeal, which it has done. Andrew MacPherson of Ward Brink Attorneys, who is representing THC director Neil Liddell, believers the Court erred in not applying the “law of general application” and took a narrow interpretation of the law that relied on the Drugs and Drugs Trafficking Act, sections of which have been ruled unconstitutional. Both these initiatives will take months if not years to work their way through South Africa’s clogged court system. The intensifying of lawfare against the State to force it to enact its own policies has stepped up after last weekend’s protests at Parliament and the Union Buildings. The Presidency accepted but did not comment on the CMAC’s memo of demands, one of which was a halt to cannabis arrests. The Agriculture Ministry (DALRRD) responded swiftly to the protests saying an inter-ministerial committee would look at fast-tracking certain regulatory measures that would benefit legacy farmers. This would be done in parallel to the cannabis legislation being considered by Parliament, it said. However, the cannabis-related Bills before Parliament are deeply controversial and will probably be subject to the next round of lawfare with court challenges to: The Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill 2022 , which remains riddled with constitutional defects, and is likely to be challenged in court the moment it becomes an Act (although this is unclear as to when this will be as MP’s still have to see the final draft); The Drugs and Drug Trafficking Amendment Bill of 2022 which continues to criminalize cannabis despite earlier indications from Government that this would be changed. Public comment on the Bill closed on 16 September 2022. Through the Dear South Africa “active citizen” website 342 comments were posted to Parliament’s Justice and Correctional Services Portfolio Committee. It’s not known how many submissions were made directly to the Committee. Most of the public comment was a negative reaction to cannabis being included as a Schedule 2 drug in the 2022 amendment which flies in the face of Government policy. The court news that Parliament’s Justice and Correctional Services Portfolio Committee is really desperate to hear is whether the Constitutional Court will grant it a deadline to amend the Drugs Trafficking Bill. In 2020 ConCourt gave Parliament two years to rectify sections of the Drug Act that it found unconstitutional, and with less than three months to go before the deadline, the proposed Bill has just landed in on MP's desks. Should ConCourt not extend Parliament’s deadline beyond 17 December 2022, the consequences could be a legal nightmare for SAPS and the NPA and cannabis lawfare will increase at an unprecedented scale. Senior State Law Advisor Sarel Robbertse warned MP’s last month, that failure to pass the Drugs Bill before the deadline would create a legal void, in terms of which all arrests and convictions under the Drugs Trafficking Act of 1993 would be open to challenge. Then there’s the Medicines Act which is another legal landmine waiting to explode. Robbertse said that in the same way that ConCourt found the Drugs Act to blur the separation between the Executive and Parliament, the same potentially applied to the Medicines Act. This meant that the Medicines Act could not be used as an alternative to the Drugs Trafficking Act, because provisions relating to illegal drugs could be deemed unconstitutional. These are just the headline lawfare issues. Cannabiz Africa understands there are a number of legal challenges against SAHPRA over the import of cannabis products and the restrictions for doses. # SOUTH AFRICAN CANNABIS INDUSTRY BREAKING NEWS Brought to you by: Open Lawfare Looms! Cannabis Communities Prepare to Intensify Their Battle Against State Prosecutors and Lawmakers Home African News South African News International News All News Marketplace Business News More All South African News Are Sponsored by: CHEEBA AFRICA Hydrobiz Support Locals Networking for your business Meet like minded people Advertise with us today Connecting People Opportunity for all Supporting Business Growth

Middle East Conflict: Moroccan Hash Dealers Boycott Israel Over Gaza Although exporting Hashish to Israel was incredibly lucrative to dealers in Morocco, they are no longer willing to sell to Israeli dealers: 'Why Should Israelis be able to make a living selling Moroccan hashish when our Palestinian brothers are suffering from hunger?' Rachel Fink, Haaretz News 24/05/07, 04:00 This report from Israeli news media, Haaretz. Hashish dealers in Morocco have said they will stop supplying to Israel in light of the war in Gaza, as reported by Israeli news site Mako earlier this year. According to an Israeli drug dealer interviewed for the report, the Moroccan suppliers are no longer willing to sell directly to Israeli dealers or through middlemen. "They decided because of the war , they are boycotting," the source, who wished to remain anonymous, said. "Since the war, we have lost so much money. Tens of millions of shekels, at least." The majority of Moroccan cannabis is grown and processed into hashish , which is not to be confused with the less-potent but more widely known marijuana, in the al-Rif region in the northern part of the country. It is generally considered to be some of the highest quality product available on the market, and world-wide demand for the drug has kept the prices rising at a steady increase for the last several years, with revenue reaching several billion dollars a year. The use of cannabis for recreational use was officially decriminalized in Israel in early 2022. According to one Israeli living in Morocco and involved in smuggling hashish into Spain and France, who was interviewed by Mako, Israel does not make up a large percentage of Morocco's hashish export business. "Hundreds of tons of hashish are sold to drug dealers in Europe and Scandinavia," he explained. "At best, only a few hundred kilograms of Moroccan hashish reach Israel." Despite the relatively small volume being exported to Israel, it was still incredibly lucrative for drug dealers inside the country prior to the boycott. "The price of a kilogram of Moroccan hashish can reach 300,000 NIS (about $81,720) in Israel. The demand for it in Israel is crazy because it is very high quality, clean and powerful," the man continued. Hashish is one of several drugs that is regularly smuggled into Israel across both its southern and northern border. Criminal organizations involved in the drug trade regularly employ local Israeli smugglers, among them yeshiva students, who hide the drugs, for instance, in hidden compartments in their suitcases.A hashish dealer from the Rif Mountains identified only as R. confirmed that a boycott has, in fact, been imposed on Israeli dealers. "Why Should Israelis be able to make a living selling Moroccan hashish when our Palestinian brothers are suffering from hunger and living in inhumane conditions," he told Mako."Go buy it somewhere else. We no longer sell hashish to Israelis. Before the war, we did business here with them. Smugglers and sellers came here and made good money. Now that's the end of it," he said. # Nyandeni Municipality Punts Cannabis as an Investment Opportunity to Ease Dreadful Poverty READ Thailand: Pro Cannabis Party Makes Better Than Expected Parliamentary Gains READ Portland, Oregon is the Most “Cannabis Friendly" City in the US; Birmingham, Alabama the Least READ Nigerian Journalists Fined for Conspiracy and Defamation After Investigation into Cannabis Use at Rice Factory READ UK Parliament Debates Medical Cannabis for the First Time READ INTERNATIONAL BREAKING NEWS PREVIOUS NEXT

CANNABIS INDUSTRY BREAKING NEWS SA Cannabis Investment Climate Starts Warming Up as Impact Investor Fedgroup Throws its Hat into the Hemp Ring Financial services provider Fedgroup is the latest mainstream institution to enter the South African cannabis market. It has added “cannabinoid hemp” to its “alternative asset impact farming investment options”, saying investors could earn a 14% return per annum over the next three years. Cannabiz Africa/Moneyweb 2 October 2022 at 14:00:00 Fedgroup follows Silverleaf Investments in trying to attract new investors into the cannabis industry by offering affordable products to the public for as little as a grand. It has added hemp to its portfolio of agricultural investments defined as "high impact" farming based on its projections that the industry is set to soar. But unlike Silverleaf which is exploring the full cannabis value chain for investment opportunities, Fedgroup is restricting itself to hemp. Akhona Matshoba reported in Moneyweb on 29 September 2022 that buyers in units in Fedgroup’s can invest in a hemp plant for R1 000 and earn an annual profit of between 12% and 14% over a three-year investment term. There are 9 100 units available on the company’s investment platform. The company says hemp plants are harvested once a year between March and May, and investors can expect their returns around August. Fedgroup says it is steering away from anything high in THC. It points out that there’s more than enough money to be made from hemp and the global CBD market which it said was valued at US$4 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach US$20 billion by 2028. “South Africa is perfectly poised to benefit from the international CBD market, not only for local production but also for export. The South African government is also active in facilitating the growth of the industry” Warren Winchester, Ventures GM at Fedgroup told Moneyweb. “This investment will [help] farmers to benefit from the considerable economic opportunity that this crop provides but will also play a crucial role in job creation and skills development.” Fedgroup has six other alternative assets in its impact farming portfolio: solar panels, lettuce stacks, beehives, macadamia trees, blueberry bushes and morning trees. The interesting pitch on its website is that “your farming side-hustle starts here”. It has an App that allows investors to gain instant access to start gaining a harvest-orientated income as opposed to conventional financial returns. The group says its decision to add hemp to its portfolio was informed by the country’s fast-growing CBD market as well as its export potential. # Time Fast Running Out For Pres Ramaphosa to Sign. Cannabis Bill into Law Before May 29 Elections. Cannabis Bill one of 27 pieces of impending legislation sitting on the President's des. Read E Cape Bemoans The Phakisa’s Lack of Momentum; Intends to Turn Coega SEZ Into a Major Cannabis Hub and Partners With Medigrow to Raise R100m Investment Premier says "sandbox" plan will allow farmers to grow cannabis without licenses if they supply the Coega hub. Read South African Willem v d Merwe Among those Arrested for JuicyFields Scam: Also Faces Fraud Charges in Cape Town Over Missing Investor Cash About 200 South Africans were among the hundreds of thousands of investors who lost cash through JucyFields Read NEXT PREVIOUS Cannabis in South Africa: The People’s Plant We are a civil society organisation with the interests of the existing Cannabis industry and the Human Rights of ALL citizens at heart. WE’RE BRINGING A NEW STANDARD We are more than just a cannabis retail company. We are about a lifestyle that promotes vitality, balance & good health. Resources & Equipment Explore cannabis growing equipment for growing weed at home. 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. Explore cannabis growing equipment we’ve curated from reliable online suppliers in South Africa Explore More

Previous Next Kenya Should Have a Serious Discussion on Cannabis Legalization Now Election Dust is Settling Home African News South African News International News All News Marketplace Business News More Patrick Gathara for Al Jazeera 14 August 2022 at 07:00:00 The likes of presidential wannabe Professor George Wajackoyah should not be allowed to turn the legalisation debate into a political joke as incoming election results point to a tight race between Deputy President William Ruto and ex-Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Kenyan election campaigns have always thrown up their fair share of absurdities. The current one has been no different. In the course of it, we have learned that the electoral commission is bound to accept dubious documents from candidates for office because, the courts have ruled, it has no constitutional or legal mandate to verify their authenticity. We have also learned how the incumbent president, Uhuru Kenyatta, was a tool for others’ ambition. We already knew that he nearly aborted his 2013 run due to what he claimed were “dark forces”. Four years later, we are now told, him nearly being slapped by his estranged deputy, William Ruto, was responsible for his staying on after the Supreme Court had annulled his re-election . In fact, the Ruto near-slap apparently also terrorised others in Kenyatta’s cabinet, with the defence cabinet secretary claiming he and his counterpart at the interior ministry had also had a close brush with it. It is to be expected that once the elections are done and dusted, the outrageousness will die down somewhat and be forgotten. However, sometimes the craziness can open useful doors. Take the campaign of Professor George Wajackoyah for example. He has promised to make Kenya one of the richest countries in the world by exporting hyena testicles, snake venom and copious amounts of “ganja” (marijuana). The former policeman and intelligence agent under the brutal Moi dictatorship-turned academic has attracted 4 percent of would-be voters with promises to shorten the work week, suspend the constitution – arguing the United Kingdom is doing fine without one – appoint eight prime ministers, and carry out public hangings of the corrupt. Many suspect him to be a state plant meant to draw votes away from Ruto and help out the campaign of Kenyatta’s former rival turned BFF, Raila Odinga – he seems to be appealing mostly to the undecided. Whatever his intentions, Wajackoyah’s populist message regarding the legalisation of marijuana should be taken seriously as it opens the door to a more sensible public discussion of the country’s largely borrowed policy on drugs, which to date has been dominated by Bible-and-Quran-thumping religious types. Previous efforts to have the discussion around marijuana legalisation have gotten little traction. And while the number of countries in the region that have legalised the growing and export of cannabis – estimated globally to be worth about $70bn by 2028 – has increased, only four on the entire continent have okayed it for local medical use, let alone recreational consumption. It is ironic that Africa seems content to export a product that relieves pain to the rest of the world while denying it to Africans on the basis of outdated puritanical tropes imported from those very countries. It is worth remembering that the ban on marijuana and other psychotropic drugs did not originate on the continent. International drug control efforts can be traced back to the 1912 Hague Opium Convention that entered into force in 1919 and targeted opium, morphine, cocaine and heroin. Over the next half-century, a series of international agreements would expand the scope of the anti-drugs effort to include restrictions on cannabis (1925), synthetic narcotics (1948) and psychotropic substances (1971). Drug trafficking was made an international crime in 1936. Nearly no Africans took part in these decisions, as their countries existed as European colonial possessions at the time. Nearly half were still under colonial rule in March 1961 when the US initiated the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, which sought to consolidate the various international agreements into one regime governing the global drugs trade, requiring controls over the cultivation of plants from which narcotics are derived, institutionalising prohibition and targets for abolishing traditional and quasi-medical uses of opium, coca and cannabis, and requiring countries to regulate not just production, manufacture and export, but also possession of drugs. This is despite the fact that crops like marijuana had been widely farmed and smoked on the continent before the disaster of colonisation. Having grown up in a strict, US-driven prohibitionist regime, many African regimes, including Kenya’s, have little inkling of, and care even less about, their history or the interests and desires of their people, preferring to mouth the learned wisdom of US puritanism. This is why Professor Wajackoyah, despite his antics and questionable motives, could be important. Already some in the political firmament are taking note of the support he is attracting and talking about decriminalising marijuana as a potent political issue. That suggests that, even after the election, there could be an opportunity to build on the momentum he has generated and to widen the conversation to cover all psychotropic drugs. There is one danger though, and it is significant. If he were to go too far with his clowning, that could taint the entire argument for legalisation and turn it into something of a political joke. Rather than take that risk, it might be better for more sensible heads in media and policy circles not to wait till after the election but to start expanding the conversation now and grounding it on a more secure footing. That would ensure Kenyans continue discussing legalisation long after Wajackoyah has become a curious footnote in the history of the 2022 election. ends ​ Sponsored by

Nyandeni Municipality Punts Cannabis as an Investment Opportunity to Ease Dreadful Poverty Explore More Thailand: Pro Cannabis Party Makes Better Than Expected Parliamentary Gains Explore More Portland, Oregon is the Most “Cannabis Friendly" City in the US; Birmingham, Alabama the Least Explore More PREVIOUS NEXT Cannabiz Africa and BusinessCann 23/05/07, 06:00 SafriCanna’s Gauteng facility is reportedly Africa’s biggest producer of medical cannabis. Founded by Nigerian billionaire, Bassim Haidar, the company is aiming to invest US40 million in expanding the Centurian facility and rapidly increase international distribution. SafriCanna’s Centurion facility is one of the largest and most advanced cannabis production facilities in South Africa. The company says it has received confirmation of the EU-GMP Part I Certification, which will enable it to continue expanding its footprint in Germany It is also eyeing new markets such as the UK and Poland. Bassim Haidar , founder of SafriCanna told BusinessCann on 2 May 2023 that the company was now positioned for "explosive growth": “EU-GMP Certification is a huge milestone for the company, and now puts us in prime position to become one of the world’s major producers of medicinal cannabis.” He said: “This Certification will also cement South Africa’s position as one of the best places to grow cannabis worldwide. We are seeing a strong, innovative, and high-quality cannabis industry evolve in South Africa, and we will play our own role in supporting the growth of the sector locally with our own continued investment and expansion.” Haidar has also confirmed the $40 million investment (approximately R720 million) with a view on expanding the current Centurion facilities to increase production to 25,000 kilograms of cannabis flowers a year from 5,000 kilograms in the immediate term. This was first reported by Cannabiz Africa i n September 2022 when SafriCanna announced its investment and expansion plans following its first export deal in June 2022 when it fulfilled a 500 kilogram offtake agreement for flower for German-based Demecan. SafriCanna’s Centurion investment will give rise to a host of support services in the area and provide a new cultivation hub. This could make Centurion the cannabis capital of South Africa, never mind Gauteng. The company says Centurion, Gauteng is optimal for cannabis production because of its high altitude (1 500 m) and more than 280 sunny days a year. SafriCanna supplies wholesalers with its products, which contain high levels of THC with unique terpene profiles. It plans to increase its 70-strong workforce to over 600 as it expands in order to ensure that its Quality Management System continues to support its EU-GMP Certification. The company expects this number to grow to over 600 in line with expansion as it caters to increased European and global demand. Haidar is also the founder and CEO of Nigerian telecoms and financial services giant Optasia, which is the majority shareholder in SafriCanna. while other investors are also from the business mainstream. Former MTN CEO Sifiso Dabengwa and Nir Aloni are also shareholders. Dabengwa, currently a non-exec director of Eskom and Gijima Investments, has 25 years of experience in high level business in Africa, while Aloni is a director of Upstream, a tech company that works with Vodacom ad MTN and is the former CEO of Smartrade, an international eCommerce company. Hadier also serves on Amnesty International’s Global Council. EU-GMP Certification is required by producers of medicinal cannabis outside of the EU who wish to export to countries in the European Union. The certification demonstrates the company’s commitment to the production of high-quality THC medicinal cannabis flowers that follow EU-GMP principles and guidelines. The company says “EU-GMP Certification is validation of the quality, integrity, and robustness of our production processes and facility. It is also an endorsement in the quality of our growing, technical, and R&D teams. Europe is an immense and growing market, and we intend to become the producer-of-choice of medicinal cannabis within these countries. “Regulation, such as EU-GMP Certification, is a good thing for the industry. It ensures that standards are being upheld in the industry, and it will provide reassurance to patients that products are safe and of high quality.” # SOUTH AFRICAN CANNABIS INDUSTRY BREAKING NEWS Brought to you by: SafriCanna: EU Certification Clears the Way for US40 Million Investment, Aims to Produce 25 Tons of Cannabis in 5 Years Home African News South African News International News All News Marketplace Business News More All South African News Are Sponsored by: CHEEBA AFRICA Hydrobiz Support Locals Networking for your business Meet like minded people Advertise with us today Connecting People Opportunity for all Supporting Business Growth

Afrobeats Superstar Burna Boy Launches Cannabis Brand Brkfst in South Beach, Miami Celebrity cannabis brands are coming in thick and fast. The latest is that of Nigerian music superstar, Burna Boy, who has gone into partnership with a Miami group to leverage his international Afrobeat fame into cannabis sales. Abu Mubarik 22/10/25, 09:00 Face to Face Online reports that celebrated Nigerian Afrobeats artist Burna Boy has ventured into the cannabis industry with his own brand, according to Black Cannabis Magazine. He launched the cannabis brand BrkFst in South Beach, Miami in partnership with Jokes Up/ Ice Kream on 7 October 2022, the magazine said. The magazine further noted that the name for the cannabis brand appears to have been inspired by the lyrics of “Last Last” where he sings; “Na everybody go chop breakfast,” a Nigerian slang which means everyone will definitely experience pain or heartbreak. In the song, he goes on to sing “I need Igbo and shayo,” which means he is coping with the end of a relationship and is healing his emotional wounds with weed (Igbo) and alcohol (shayo). In a recent interview, he revealed that Toni Braxton collected a huge paycheck that was equal to 60% of the royalties from the song. The launch of the cannabis brand, which coincided with Miami Carnival, reportedly started with a pop-up and a brunch at a Miami Diner. The creation of BrkFst comes nearly a year after he called the ban on marijuana in Nigeria “dumb,” adding that people are shy about discussing it. “It’s not a zero-tolerance. It’s like everybody does it, but nobody wants to be the one that is seen with it. It’s just kind of hypocritical out there. Everybody smokes weed,” he told Home Grown radio . “It’s like some dumb shit, bro. You know those old adverts when they talk about it frying your brains. They try to make it seem like if you smoke it, you will go mad. “Right now, everybody is relaxed, everybody does it, and everybody knows that. It’s just a topic no one wants to talk about. No one wants to talk about it; everybody is cool. Everybody’s free. Everybody’s smoking. Nobody wants to make it a thing.” The cannabis industry in the United States is estimated to pomp up to $130 billion on an annual basis into the U.S. economy by 2024, according to Marijuana Business Factbook . Marijuana Business Factbook further estimates legal cannabis sales increased from $38 billion-$46 billion in 2019 to $106 billion-$130 billion by 2024 – a 181% increase. And according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the $130 billion figure is similar to the 2019 gross domestic product of Nebraska’s $129 billion. Burna Boy joins a tall list of global black voices and artists to launch their own cannabis. Amongst them include Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Whoopi Goldberg and Martha Stewart. Nyandeni Municipality Punts Cannabis as an Investment Opportunity to Ease Dreadful Poverty READ Thailand: Pro Cannabis Party Makes Better Than Expected Parliamentary Gains READ Portland, Oregon is the Most “Cannabis Friendly" City in the US; Birmingham, Alabama the Least READ Nigerian Journalists Fined for Conspiracy and Defamation After Investigation into Cannabis Use at Rice Factory READ UK Parliament Debates Medical Cannabis for the First Time READ INTERNATIONAL BREAKING NEWS PREVIOUS NEXT

Nyandeni Municipality Punts Cannabis as an Investment Opportunity to Ease Dreadful Poverty Explore More Thailand: Pro Cannabis Party Makes Better Than Expected Parliamentary Gains Explore More Portland, Oregon is the Most “Cannabis Friendly" City in the US; Birmingham, Alabama the Least Explore More PREVIOUS NEXT Cannabiz Africa 23/04/07, 08:00 The Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services has opened the proposed amendments to the Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill for public comments – again. This comes after the National Assembly extended the deadline to finalize the Bill in February 2023. The National Assembly has called on interested stakeholders to write submissions on the proposed amendments to the Bill by no later than Friday, 28 April 2023. Read the latest version of the Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill here The Bill’s scope has been broadened, with one of the main changes is that communal land is now defined as a “private place” in the Bill in an attempt to include legacy growers. The Bill also signals the removal of cannabis from the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act, although it continues to criminalize several aspects of the plant. It also makes provision for medical cannabis patients. After major consultation and a slow legislative process surrounding the Bill, the National Assembly decided in February 2023 to give the Committee more time to resolve the contradictions contained in the last draft of the Bill. The Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill forms part of 51 bills currently making their way to parliament prior to being assented into law by the President, according to the Parliamentary Monitoring Group (PMG). The PMG says updates to the bill relating to cannabis stemmed from a high court ruling in 2017 which found several sections of the Drugs Act and Drug Trafficking Act unconstitutional. The Constitutional Court agreed with this in its own ruling in 2018. The new Bill aims to address loopholes and grey areas within the current legislative framework surrounding cannabis. Current laws allow for cannabis use and cultivation in private spaces, but the definition of a “private space” is unclear. This has led to confusion regarding whether spaces like homes and cars qualify as private and therefore allow for cannabis use and cultivation. The Bill itself states that it aims to allow for the cultivation of a prescribed quantity of cannabis plants, possess a prescribed quantity of cannabis and the consumption of cannabis. It further seeks to provide for the expungement of criminal records of persons convicted of possession or use of cannabis or dealing in cannabis on the basis of a presumption, allow for commercial activities in respect of cannabis and provide for the deletion and amendment of certain provisions within current legislation. Certain uncertainties within South Africa’s cannabis legislation open consumers and business people to falling on the wrong side of the law. The PMG says the Cannabis Bill has the potential to open up the industry and bring it into the mainstream allowing more people to use cannabis as well as business to take advantage of the growing popularity in cannabis products. The PMG noted that submissions can be emailed to Mr V Ramaano at cannabisbill@parliament.gov.za . READ: Cannabis Bill still in hiding while state legislators figure out what the hell they're up to # SOUTH AFRICAN CANNABIS INDUSTRY BREAKING NEWS Brought to you by: Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill Back Up for Public Comment: Deadline 28 April 2023 Home African News South African News International News All News Marketplace Business News More All South African News Are Sponsored by: CHEEBA AFRICA Hydrobiz Support Locals Networking for your business Meet like minded people Advertise with us today Connecting People Opportunity for all Supporting Business Growth

Nyandeni Municipality Punts Cannabis as an Investment Opportunity to Ease Dreadful Poverty Explore More Thailand: Pro Cannabis Party Makes Better Than Expected Parliamentary Gains Explore More Portland, Oregon is the Most “Cannabis Friendly" City in the US; Birmingham, Alabama the Least Explore More PREVIOUS NEXT Charl Henning, FGFA 24/03/26, 09:00 The Haze Club (THC) case was due to be heard in the Bloemfontein Supreme Court on 19 March 2024, but the matter has been postponed to the last quarter of this year. Charl Henning of Fields of Green for All looks at the pros and cons of the postponement. This report from FGFA first published on 15 March 2024. Fields of Green for All would like to inform our Cannabis Community that The Haze Club case due to be heard in the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein on Tuesday 19 March has been postponed to the 4th quarter of 2024, on a date to be determined by the court. We know that this will come as a big disappointment to many who are seeking clarity on the issues of the legality of Dagga Private Clubs in South Africa. This does not mean that we won’t get our clarity. In fact, we might even get it sooner than we thought. Even if THC had won on Tuesday, we would have had to wait months for a judgement and possibly even longer for an order of constitutional validity from our apex court. The Cannabis for Private Purposes bill is on the President’s desk and there are whisperings that he might be close to finding his pen. This would mean that Cannabis is out of the Drug and Drugs Trafficking Act of 1992 and the prosecution may need to rethink its position, because the Act under which Neil is charged would no longer apply to Cannabis. Here at Fields of Green for All we hope that the parties will use the intervening opportunity to constructively engage with one another, and us as Amicus, around whether or not this is a fight even worth having at all. The atmosphere of reasonable cooperation our legal team has experienced over these last minute deliberations has been very encouraging. We believe that our Heads of Argument as Amicus Curiae is the ultimate legal argument for the constitutionality of the Dagga Private Club model. We are also proud that we have received feedback from some imminent experts confirming this. All papers concerning the case are in the public domain. This case has been very expensive for all of us in many ways but none of it is in vain, considering the bigger picture of our constitutional rights granted by the highest court in the land in 2018. In the words of our legal team: On 14 March 2024, the SCA agreed to postpone the matter to the 4th term. The parties jointly approached the Supreme Court of appeal for a postponement of the matter to the 4th term of 2024. This was in joint recognition of the possibility that the intervening enactment of the Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill could render THC’s constitutional challenge against the Drugs and Drugs Trafficking Act ‘moot’ (i.e, a matter that will not be entertained by the Court, because its judgment would be rendered academic and of no practical force or effect). # SOUTH AFRICAN CANNABIS INDUSTRY BREAKING NEWS Brought to you by: THC Private Cannabis Club Case Postponed Until Later This Year Home African News South African News International News All News Marketplace Business News More All South African News Are Sponsored by: CHEEBA AFRICA Hydrobiz Support Locals Networking for your business Meet like minded people Advertise with us today Connecting People Opportunity for all Supporting Business Growth

Nyandeni Municipality Punts Cannabis as an Investment Opportunity to Ease Dreadful Poverty Explore More Thailand: Pro Cannabis Party Makes Better Than Expected Parliamentary Gains Explore More Portland, Oregon is the Most “Cannabis Friendly" City in the US; Birmingham, Alabama the Least Explore More PREVIOUS NEXT Brett Hilton Barber 22/06/05, 22:00 Robbertse’s turnaround on PCC’s significant for THC application THC High Court hearing finally due after a year of delays The Cape High Court is finally due to hear an application on Monday 6 June 2022 by The Haze Club (THC) director Neill Liddell to have Private Cannabis Clubs (PCC’s) legally recognized by Government. The application is being opposed by the State. The hearing has been postponed several times over the last year and results from Liddell’s arrest in Cape Town in October 2020. Prosecutors agreed to hold off onproceeding with charges after Liddell’s lawyers argued that High Court clarity was necessary to give all parties legal guidance. The State’s position is that the PCC model is inherently illegal and provides a front for dealing in cannabis . Liddell’s argument is that THC was 100% legal in terms of the 2018 Concourt Ruling allowing consenting adults to consume cannabis in a private space. Robbertse’s turnaround on PCC’s significant for THC application The THC High Court application comes just days after a breakthrough moment in Parliament when Senior State Law Advisor Sarel Robbertse conceded that PCC’s may actually play a positive role in cannabis harms reduction and their legality could be incorporated into the Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill (CPPB). Robbertse has been given until August 2022 to fix the defects identified in the draft legislation . The softening of his opposition to PCC’s came in the wake of public input to Parliament arguing that PCC’s should be viewed positively and incorporated in the CPPB. His backdown is significant because Cannabiz Africa can reveal that Robbertse signed an affidavit several months ago, supporting the State’s case against PCC’s. The State’s main witness, as it were, now finds himself holding two contradictory views, whereas the THC application has been consistent in its argument that properly-constituted PCC’s are entirely within the law. Liddell’s lawyer, Andrew MacPherson of Ward Brink Attorneys, says the case goes far beyond the THC application, it is about fighting for the constitutional rights ofsocial grow clubs generally. SOUTH AFRICAN CANNABIS INDUSTRY BREAKING NEWS Brought to you by: State Lawyer’s Last-Minute Concession Strengthens THC High Court Application for Unambiguous Legal Recognition of PCC’s Home African News South African News International News All News Marketplace Business News More All South African News Are Sponsored by: CHEEBA AFRICA Hydrobiz Support Locals Networking for your business Meet like minded people Advertise with us today Connecting People Opportunity for all Supporting Business Growth

Nyandeni Municipality Punts Cannabis as an Investment Opportunity to Ease Dreadful Poverty Explore More Thailand: Pro Cannabis Party Makes Better Than Expected Parliamentary Gains Explore More Portland, Oregon is the Most “Cannabis Friendly" City in the US; Birmingham, Alabama the Least Explore More PREVIOUS NEXT Brett Hilton-Barber 23/04/16, 07:00 It’s there in black and white. The latest version of the Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill states unequivocally: “Commercial activities in respect of cannabis 10. (1) Subject to subsection (2), commercial activities in respect of [recreational] cannabis are hereby authorised. (2) National legislation must be enacted to authorise and regulate commercial activities in respect of cannabis”. The Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill (CPPB ) is up for public comment until the end of the month. It has been significantly panel-beaten to incorporate traditional growers by expanding the definition of private property to include communal land and it makes allowance for the expungement of criminal records of minor cannabis offences. The wording of the Bill signals the State’s intentions to drop cannabis from the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act of 2022 and to open up the way for future commercial trade in cannabis and related products. Although it remains rooted in a prohibitionist mindset, the Bill envisages a progressive evolution of the South African cannabis industry albeit with strict controls. The Bill states: “CANNABIS COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES Commercial activities in respect of cannabis 10. (1) Subject to subsection (2), commercial activities in respect of [recreational] cannabis are hereby authorised. (2) National legislation must be enacted to authorise and regulate commercial activities in respect of cannabis. (3) Without limiting the scope of national legislation contemplated in subsection (2), due consideration should be given to— (a) harm reduction; (b) demand reduction; (c) public education and awareness campaigns in respect of the harms associated with cannabis smoking and consumption; (d) the prevention of persons under the age of 18 years to access cannabis; (e) the prohibition or restriction of advertising or promotion of cannabis; (f) population level monitoring of use and associated harms of cannabis smoking and consumption; and (g) reasonable measures to accommodate cannabis for cultural or religious purposes. (4) For purposes of this section, "commercial activities" means any activity relating to cannabis plant cultivation material, cannabis plants, cannabis or cannabis products, which is authorised and regulated in terms of national legislation contemplated in subsection (2.)” With cannabis being removed from the Drug Trafficking Act, the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act, which is likely to be passed into law in the next few months, will be the defining legislation regulating cannabis and the four envisaged levels of transgression. The Bill is likely to continue to attract severe criticism from industry stakeholders as it remains riddled with contradictions (communal land is private property? How do we get our seeds for our constitutionally-granted right to grow cannabis? ). Cannabiz Africa believes it would be appropriate for the Bill to be withdrawn in its entirety and replaced with the draft legislation drawn up by the National Cannabis Master Plan Private Sector Working Group. The hard yards have been covered by the best cannabis legal minds in the country and has the endorsement of presidential cannabis advisor Garth Strachan who is learning a new definition of the word “uphill” in his attempts to align the different Government departments affected by cannbis legalization. The likes of Cullinan and Associates, Webber Wentzel, Schindlers, FGFA, Gareth Prince, Ayanda Bam, Ricky Stone and Michael Kiechel have voluntarily contributed precious time in trying to navigate a sensible legislative pathway for cannabis legalization and have put to shame the hollow and clumsy efforts of state lawyers who are clearly out of their conceptual depth. The main flaw in the Bill is that cannabis remains within the remit of the criminal justice cluster, which as we all know is rotten to the core. There are positive signs that there is an ideological shift underway, as evidenced by the formation of the Southern and East African Drugs Policy initiative that seeks to alleviate punishment on end users and concentrate rather on clamping down on hard drug traffickers. However, the Justice Department is essentially prohibitionist and still has to be pulled into line in terms of understanding the economic potential of the plant. Bearing in mind its international obligations around legislating for domestic adult-use consumption, which is clearly the next frontier, Justice Minister Ronald Lamola is not up to the task. Although he’s a staunch political supporter of the President (and hell, we know the Pres needs all the support he can get), Lamola is a young buck steeped in Christian conservatism trying to navigate his way through the Gangster State. Cannabis legalization is not one of his priorities, but that’s his issue not ours. It is clear that cannabis reform is going to be driven by non-government stakeholders. The pressure needs to be sustained as the economic imperative is there and cannabis can deliver, at the end of the day, probably more jobs than the Government even imagines, if the full value chain is unlocked and the criminal justice system is shown the door. # SOUTH AFRICAN CANNABIS INDUSTRY BREAKING NEWS Brought to you by: Private Purposes Bill Clears the Way for Future Commercial Trade in Cannabis Home African News South African News International News All News Marketplace Business News More All South African News Are Sponsored by: CHEEBA AFRICA Hydrobiz Support Locals Networking for your business Meet like minded people Advertise with us today Connecting People Opportunity for all Supporting Business Growth

Nyandeni Municipality Punts Cannabis as an Investment Opportunity to Ease Dreadful Poverty Explore More Thailand: Pro Cannabis Party Makes Better Than Expected Parliamentary Gains Explore More Portland, Oregon is the Most “Cannabis Friendly" City in the US; Birmingham, Alabama the Least Explore More PREVIOUS NEXT Cannabiz Africa 22/08/29, 10:30 Province wants to create a commercial platform for international cannabis trade similar to the London Metals Exchange. The Gauteng Government has identified OR Tambo as a site to set up an international cannabis trading platform. This was revealed by the province’s chief director of agriprocessing services, Mojlato Makoepea, who told a webinar recently that Gauteng wanted to export cannabis on an industrial scale, and to this end, special economic zones (SEZ's) were being established in the Vaal Triangle at Sedibeng and on the West Rand. The same would apply to Ekurulheni around the airport. These SEZ’s would be regulatory “sandboxes”, which would have certain exemptions from normal business laws in order for there to be legal commercial trade in cannabis and related products. “Part of positioning Gauteng to be the leader of cannabis is to allow trading to take place” said Makoepea. “We envisage a cannabis trading platform like the London Metal’s Exchange. That would then be a vehicle that would enable accelerated exports. We’d look at identifying export markets and matching that with stock; all the data would be linked, like traceability and source and so on.” Makoepa said another major development in the province is the decentralization of hemp permit applications. He said these would now be processed at a provincial level and no longer at National. He said this would enable applications to be fast-tracked. He said that Gauteng agriculture MEC Parks Tau was driving the decentralization process. SOUTH AFRICAN CANNABIS INDUSTRY BREAKING NEWS Brought to you by: Gauteng Wants OR Tambo Airport to be Cannabis Trade Exchange Home African News South African News International News All News Marketplace Business News More All South African News Are Sponsored by: CHEEBA AFRICA Hydrobiz Support Locals Networking for your business Meet like minded people Advertise with us today Connecting People Opportunity for all Supporting Business Growth