Pot of dagga gold still long off regardless of Cyril’s promises

Will the grass be greener after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) promises about government support for future cannabis farming and commercialisation?

It’s a tempting image to hold out for small farmers in areas not suited to traditional crops: raise the plants, which used to be illegal and now make money in the open, without any organised crime gangs breathing down your neck.

The liberalisation of dagga laws a few years ago – to allow personal consumption at home – and the increasing possibilities of cannabis-based medicines have created the optimistic belief that dope could be a silver bullet to saves us.

It’s not exactly a pipe dream, but caution needs to be exercised.

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Firstly, the demand for medicinal cannabis is minute compared to the one for “ordinary” pharmaceuticals and even homeopathic remedies.

And the market for recreational dagga is, despite what the antidrug campaigners might claim, small, compared to that of conventional cigarettes.

Hemp, which comes from the cannabis plant, can be used in rope, textiles, clothing, shoes, food, paper, bioplastics, insulation and biofuel.

But we are still a long way from having those beneficiation industries in this country.

So, before we see the pot of dagga gold, let’s take a deep drag and chill.