US EditionNews24 | Motsoaledi to withdraw ban on cannabis, hemp food products after backlash
- In March 2025, the South African government, led by Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, announced contentious regulations banning the sale, importation, and manufacture of food products containing hemp and cannabis.
- The regulations, enacted under the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act of 1972, aimed to protect consumers and ensure safety standards due to concerns about misleading marketing claims, the absence of pre-market approval, and potential risks to minors.
- Mounting pressure from cannabis farmers, sellers, civil society organizations like Free SA, and the Democratic Alliance arose because the ban jeopardized the livelihoods of 1,400 licensed hemp farmers and 400 small businesses, potentially halting investments and hindering South Africa's progress as a global cannabis leader.
- Spokespersons such as Reuben Coetzer and industry figures like Lebo Skhosana welcomed the government's subsequent decision to withdraw the regulations following a meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister Motsoaledi, emphasizing the need for transparency and due process in future regulations, with Skhosana stating, "We can finally breathe a sigh of relief& theyre not just chucking us out."
- The government will allow more public input and stakeholder consultation to develop revised regulations that reduce health risks and address the negative impact of cannabis and hemp food products, while the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development coordinates the implementation of the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act, signaling a commitment to balancing consumer safety with economic opportunities in the cannabis industry, estimated to be worth R28-billion with the potential to create 10,000 to 25,000 jobs.
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South Africa: Cabinet Welcomes Hemp and Cannabis Food Product Regulations Withdrawal
[SAnews.gov.za] Cabinet has welcomed the withdrawal of the Department of Health's regulations that banned the sale of hemp and cannabis food products, according to Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni.
·South Africa
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