Pretoria: Cabinet has welcomed the withdrawal of the Department of Health’s regulations that banned the sale of hemp and cannabis food products, according to Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni. This decision comes after a meeting between Health Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi and President Cyril Ramaphosa.
According to South African Government News Agency, the Presidency announced this week that Dr. Motsoaledi will retract the existing regulations following discussions with President Ramaphosa. The Minister emphasized during a post-Cabinet media briefing in Pretoria that, while there are concerns regarding the unregulated sale of these products and their potential consumption by children, any new regulations must be developed with thorough consultation and should respect both the Constitutional Court Judge and the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act.
President Ramaphosa has pledged to enhance stakeholder engagement and public participation in crafting updated regulations. These new regulations aim to mitigate health risks and the adverse effects of cannabis and hemp-containing food products, with a particular focus on safeguarding minors.
In light of these consultations, the Minister of Health will withdraw the regulations established under the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics, and Disinfectants Act (Foodstuffs Act) that prohibited the sale, importation, and manufacture of foodstuffs containing hemp and cannabis. The Department of Health plans to engage in extensive consultations before releasing revised regulations.
Additionally, Minister Ntshavheni noted that the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development is leading an interdepartmental effort to draft regulations for implementing the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act.