If you’ve been vibing with cannabis-infused treats to relax or help you sleep, you might need to rethink your snacks.
The Department of Health has quietly slapped a ban on the production and sale of all cannabis and hemp-based food products in South Africa.
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi put the move in place under the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics, and Disinfectants Act of 1972, saying: “No one can sell, make, or import any food that contains any part of the Cannabis Sativa L. plant, including hemp, hemp seed oil, or hemp seed flour.”
And if you’re caught selling or making these food products? You could face a fine or even jail time.
This decision has left businesses in the cannabis market reeling, with many facing financial losses and uncertainty.
What makes this even more confusing is that President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill into law back in May 2024, which decriminalises personal cannabis use.
The law lets people grow a few plants, possess a certain amount of cannabis, and use it at home. But, selling or using cannabis publicly is still illegal.
And it gets even more interesting. Just recently, in his 2025 State of the Nation Address, Ramaphosa talked about how South Africa could become a leader in the commercial cannabis and hemp industry.
He said, “We want South Africa to be leading in the commercial production of hemp and cannabis.”
This seems to be at odds with the current ban on edibles, leaving many wondering how the country plans to move forward with its cannabis industry.
