Private cannabis use legalised – but CBD has a way to go in South Africa

A recent judgement by the Constitutional Court of South Africa which legalised the personal use of cannabis in private may not have a big impact on the CBD market in the country. That’s the view of an expert witness in the High Court case that led to the constitutional judgement.

Tony Budden, managing director of Hemporium, South Africa’s leading hemp company, which has been in business since 1996, told CBD-Intel: “The judgement in the Constitutional Court only covered the right to use the plant for personal use in a private place; it doesn’t really cover anything around the markets, around commercial or around buying or selling. So the short answer is that it doesn’t affect the CBD market at all.”

Budden was, however, quick to add that since the ruling the conversation on cannabis use in South Africa had increased remarkably.

“Local people are talking about it and local people will be open to using it,” he said.