Cabinet has welcomed the withdrawal of the Department of Health's controversial regulations banning the sale of hemp and cannabis food products.
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni on Thursday addressed the matter during a Cabinet briefing in Pretoria on the outcomes of the Cabinet’s meeting on Wednesday. She emphasised the importance of a balanced approach to the growing hemp and cannabis industry in South Africa.
Ntshavheni made it clear that such regulations must be fully consulted upon, ensuring alignment with the Constitutional Court’s judgment, and should not contravene the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act, which was proclaimed last year.
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“The Department of Justice, together with various other government departments, is coordinating an interdepartmental draft regulation for the full implementation of the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act. These regulations will be issued for public consultation,” the Minister said.
She further clarified that the withdrawal of the regulations was in line with South Africa's commitment to fostering the hemp and cannabis industry as a growing economic sector, particularly for rural provinces.
The government’s goal is to promote the legal and regulated use of hemp and cannabis products in a manner that benefits the economy while ensuring public health and safety.
“The regulations have been formally withdrawn by the Department of Health. If you recall, South Africa developed a hemp and cannabis strategy under the sixth administration, recognising the industry's potential. The objective is to grow this industry as a major economic sector, but we must ensure that it is regulated to safeguard vulnerable groups, particularly children,” the Minister said.
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''We support the development of hemp and cannabis products, as well as the licensing regulations for their use.''
In line with this, President Cyril Ramaphosa has affirmed his support for more stakeholder consultation and public participation on the formulation of new regulations that will limit health risks and the negative impact of foodstuffs containing cannabis and hemp, particularly on minors.
Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, expressed concern about unregulated imported foodstuffs flooding the South African market, containing hemp and cannabis. This has raised alarms about the potential health risks associated with these products.
''In light of further stakeholder consultations, Motsoaledi announced that the Department of Health will withdraw the regulations under the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act (Foodstuffs Act) that would have prohibited the sale, importation, and manufacture of foodstuffs containing hemp and cannabis.
''The Department will continue broad consultations before publishing revised regulations.''
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Ntshavheni also emphasised that while the hemp and cannabis industry is growing, regulations must be put in place to ensure that it does not negatively impact vulnerable groups, especially children.
“It’s part of our economic strategy, but of course, there will be concerns about the impact if it's not regulated, especially for children and other vulnerable groups,” she said.
She noted that the new regulations would differ from those previously withdrawn, with a strong focus on public consultation and industry input to ensure a more robust and responsible approach to the regulation of hemp and cannabis products.
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