The Health Products Regulatory Authority says there are no registered medicinal cannabis products in the country and a number of hurdles need to be covered before taking a product to market.
This comes as the Eastern Cape government appeals to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration to set up an advisory committee to consider the commercialisation of the cannabis industry.
KwaZulu-Natal could also benefit from the commercialisation of the cannabis sector.
Medicines Control Officer, Mlungisi Wondo, explains the process of acquiring a licence.
“For selling medication, it will be licenced through SAHPRA, and then if your product is registered you will be allowed to sell it in the country. It’s not a cheap process, especially if you are going to develop your product, by the time you get to registration you would have lost some millions even before selling your product. When you apply to be a grower for cannabis it will be R23 980.”
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