PRODUCTION
WANDILE SIHLOBO: Local cannabis industry still needs regulation and a jobs plan
The economic prospects of the cannabis industry must be balanced with the need to provide public safety
I did an unusual thing while preparing to write this column. I invited regular readers on Twitter to offer their opinion about key aspects they feel my last column for the year should address. Their responses showed, first of all, that many South Africans are already in holiday mode. But among the many points that were raised, the potential for cannabis production in SA, as well as red-meat price increases, were mentioned more than once, so I will reflect on them for now. I have previously written about cannabis production, but it is worth delving deeper into the matter as the discussion is gaining momentum, not only in SA but globally. Countries such as Canada are making great strides in exploiting cannabis for economic purposes and job creation. On December 3, Kristine Owram, writing for Bloomberg, noted that “there has been a spike in postings for jobs at cannabis growers and retailers in Canada. And next year will see even more demand for labour as the country expands the number...
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