JOHANNESBURG - Government plans to withdraw its ban on the sale of cannabis and hemp products.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced this on Tuesday after consultation with Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.
Reacting to the withdrawal, Cannabis Development Council of South Africa chairperson, Gareth Prince says he is in two folds.
He says while it is commendable on one hand, they are dissatisfied by the naked preference given to hemp and the medical cannabis space.
He says there should be means of industrialising the plant.
“None of these political parties have spoken out force cannabis weed which presents us with the best opportunity to industrialise the plant,” he said.
Acknowledging the president support for stakeholder consultation and public participation, Prince says this is what they have been advocating for.
“Members of government seem to think its their job to formulate a plan then come present It to us. We are saying you can not make laws for us without us, we should have been part of the public participation,” he said.
The health minister gazetted the new regulations banning the manufacture, sale, and import of hemp and cannabis-derived food products earlier this month.
At the time the Motsoaledi said this was to ensure consumer safety while working on a plan to involve the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority.
The ban announcement was met swift backlash from both the cannabis industry and the public, who deemed it a danger to the sector's future.