South Africa’s leading opposition party, has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to scrap Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi’s surprise ban on cannabis-containing foodstuffs, warning that it will stifle the growing hemp industry and economic potential.
“Many countries, including the US, Canada, and China, have integrated hemp into their food industries, and South Africa should do the same,” said Democratic Alliance (DA) health spokesperson Michéle Clark. She criticized the move as “ill-considered” and pointed out that the health minister bypassed public consultation in implementing the sweeping ban.
Blanket ban
The new regulations, published earlier this month under South Africa’s Foodstuffs, Cosmetics, and Disinfectants Act, impose a blanket prohibition on foods containing any part of the cannabis plant, including hemp seed oil and hemp seed flour. These products, commonly used in food, beverages, and wellness items such as CBD oils and vegan protein bars, are now illegal under Motsoaledi’s updated rules.
The DA argues that the ban, which prohibits the sale, manufacture, and importation of food products containing cannabis or hemp-derived ingredients, will harm over 1,400 licensed businesses and threaten the livelihood of small and medium-sized enterprises across the country.
‘Lunacy’
The DA’s opposition is echoed by other political figures, including Brett Herron, secretary-general of the GOOD Party, who described the move as “lunacy,” especially after Ramaphosa himself had championed the hemp industry in his State of the Nation address in 2022. In his speech, Ramaphosa emphasized the economic and job-creation potential of the hemp industry, which is now jeopardized by the ban.
Akos Bio, a South African company focused on medical cannabis, also voiced concerns, with CEO Connor Davis criticizing the new regulations for failing to distinguish between industrial hemp and cannabis for medical use.
Davis argued that the ban criminalizes legitimate sectors of the industry and creates uncertainty. “The sector needs a rational regulatory framework with input from all relevant stakeholders,” Davis said, highlighting the rapid growth in the sale of unregulated cannabis food products following the 2018 Constitutional Court ruling on cannabis decriminalization.
Sowing confusion
The regulations have prompted confusion and concern within South Africa’s cannabis sector, particularly among hemp farmers who have been granted permits to grow hemp for food and other non-psychoactive products.
South African cannabis investors have noted that the new regulations contradict previous government policies that made clear distinctions between marijuana and hemp derivatives. And questioned the abrupt and unexplained nature of the ban.