SIGN THE OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT & RELEVANT MINISTRIES!

Let’s get to 500 signatures before the weekend…

South Africa’s Cannabis community has had enough of regulatory uncertainty, continued arrests and government inaction. The Cannabis Crisis Coalition (CCC) is calling on everyone affected by the Cannabis crisis to add their voice to an open letter addressed to President Cyril Ramaphosa and the relevant government ministers.

SIGN THE OPEN LETTER HERE – https://forms.gle/QqgTprjPQXdcw6fY7

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Whether you are a patient, cultivator, traditional healer, private club member, business owner, healthcare professional or simply someone who believes in Cannabis reform, your voice matters. Sign the letter and share it widely!

A Coalition Born Out of Crisis

On Monday 2 November 2026, 216 people attended the Cannabis Crisis Coalition’s first public webinar, demonstrating the growing frustration across South Africa’s Cannabis community.

The 90-minute discussion brought together representatives from the medical, cultivation, manufacturing and adult-use sectors, alongside community activists and traditional Cannabis stakeholders.

The message was unmistakable: South Africa’s Cannabis policy is in crisis, and government must act.

Despite invitations, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) did not participate, while the Departments of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) and Justice did not respond.

Three Perspectives, One Common Problem

Myrtle Clarke, representing Fields of Green for ALL, outlined the constitutional rights underpinning Cannabis reform and the continuing failures of implementation.

Eight years after the Constitutional Court’s landmark judgment, South Africans continue to experience arrests, harassment and uncertainty. The Cannabis for Private Purposes Act (7 of 2024) remains unimplemented, its regulations are outstanding, and a recent Gauteng SAPS directive has created further confusion and fear.

Jacqui Ramage, registered pharmacist representing SANCAP, explained the complicated pharmaceutical regulatory framework and the enormous barriers to entry facing those who wish to enter the licensed Cannabis cultivating and manufacturing space.

With facilities costing millions of rands to establish, an export-focused licensing system and no functioning framework for general adult-use trade, the consequences of fragmented regulation are becoming increasingly apparent.

Anton Ofield-Kerr of AKOS BIO and Equal International brought the discussion back to the patients.

Since 18 July, SAHPRA has stopped approving Section 21 applications, including renewals for patients already benefiting from prescribed cannabis medicines. Patients with severe conditions, including drug-resistant epilepsy, now face the prospect of losing access to treatment.

This is not simply an industry problem. It is a Human Rights and public health crisis.

Different Pathways, Shared Objectives

A central theme emerged: Cannabis cannot be regulated through a single pharmaceutical framework.

Medical Cannabis, Private Adult use and Industrial hemp require distinct, appropriate regulatory pathways.

Participants agreed that SAHPRA and the Department of Health must address access to quality-assured Cannabis medicines, while the broader adult-use sector needs workable regulations that recognise private cultivation, community-based models and responsible economic participation.

Contributors from the Eastern Cape highlighted the continuing persecution and economic exclusion of traditional growers. Representatives of Rastafari and Khoi communities called for meaningful inclusion of those who have borne the consequences of prohibition for generations.

The discussion also exposed widespread confusion about what is currently lawful. Participants were reminded that certificates, licences and commercial promises cannot substitute for clear legislation.

From Frustration to Collective Action

The Coalition recognises that South Africa’s Cannabis community is diverse, with different interests, priorities and opinions.

But continued fragmentation has achieved little.

The immediate priority is to build a united, representative voice demanding accountability from the Presidency and the government departments responsible for Cannabis reform.

The CCC will continue engaging government, sharing accurate information and organising focused discussions to address the specific challenges facing different sectors.

Legal action and other forms of coordinated pressure may also need to be considered.

Add Your Voice. Demand Action.

The Coalition’s open letter is an opportunity to demonstrate the breadth of South African society affected by failed Cannabis policy.

Sign the letter. Share it with your networks. Encourage your organisation, colleagues and community to participate.

After decades of advocacy, court victories, consultations and promises, South Africa deserves more than another round of government silence.

We will be sharing a recording of the webinar as soon as our technical glitches have been edited. Watch this space!

The time for coordinated action is NOW.

SIGN THE CCC OPEN LETTER HERE – https://forms.gle/QqgTprjPQXdcw6fY7