Green Gold: The Untold Economic Impact of Illegal Cannabis Trade By Katherine Pretorius By the late 1960s, South Africa’s cannabis laws were among the world’s toughest. The 1971 Drug Act prescribed up to two years’ imprisonment for any private possession of dagga and five years for more than 115 g—penalties enforced against a backdrop of […]
Green Gold: The Untold Economic Impact of Illegal Cannabis Trade By Michael Jooste The legalisation of cannabis in South Africa has opened the door to an exciting new industry. But beneath the green promise of profits and progress lies a complicated web of challenges around land ownership, labour rights, and equitable participation. Who will truly […]
Green Gold: The Untold Economic Impact of Illegal Cannabis Trade By Elizabeth Venter Cannabis has historically been known as “green gold”, reflecting its tremendous worth to people who rely on it for economic survival. Despite the progressive shift toward legalisation and regulation, the illegal cannabis market is still significant and robust, supporting the livelihoods of […]
Green Canvas: Visual Voices in the Cannabis Struggle By Hanna Swanepoel Cannabis prohibition has always been a contentious issue in South Africa, deeply intertwined with the nation’s history of colonialism, apartheid, and social justice struggles. The decriminalisation of cannabis, or dagga as it’s locally known, began in the 20th century and became a tool not […]
Corporate Cover-Ups: Big Pharma vs. Medical Cannabis By Trevor Botha When medical cannabis is discussed in mainstream conversations, it’s often framed as a breakthrough, a controversial topic, or a “new” frontier in medicine. But here’s the truth—cannabis has been used for thousands of years as a therapeutic plant. What’s actually “new” is the way modern […]
Cannabis and Longevity: Could It Be a Secret to Ageing Gracefully? By Elizabeth Venter Ageing is a journey all of us will take at some stage of our lives. The desire to age well has led people from many cultures to investigate natural cures and lifestyle choices that support health and vitality. Cannabis has often […]
Breaking Chains: The Intersection of Cannabis Decriminalisation and Social Justice By Trevor Botha The decriminalisation of cannabis in South Africa marks a critical turning point, not just in drug policy but in the broader quest for social justice. For decades, cannabis laws disproportionately deepened existing inequalities and perpetuated cycles of poverty and incarceration. While decriminalisation […]
Border Green: Cannabis Smuggling Routes Then and Now By Michael Jooste There’s a saying in some border towns: “If you know, you know.” For decades, cannabis smuggling has been part open secret, part survival hustle, part rebellion—and always, a little dangerous. From the mountain passes of Lesotho to the highways of KwaZulu-Natal, cannabis has travelled […]
Breaking Chains: The Intersection of Cannabis Decriminalisation and Social Justice
By Cailin Fourie Cannabis has been and still is the topic of heated debates—praised by some as a natural healer and dismissed by others as a mind-muddling menace. When it comes to the effect of cannabis on our memory, the conversation gets a bit more complicated. From curious, casual tokers to concerned parents or someone […]
