PICS: South Africa’s first dagga expo a high point
Talks ranging from how laws limit the cannabis industry, how to get involved in medicinal cannabis cultivation to the healing properties of cannabinoids.
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Visitors thronged to the Cannabis Expo in Tshwane on the first day yesterday where exhibitor stands were focused on enticing recreational and health users and those interested in growing it.
Other exhibitors spoke about the business and investment opportunities in the cannabis industry.
There were talks ranging from how South Africa’s current laws limit the cannabis industry, how to get involved in legal medicinal cannabis cultivation to the healing properties of cannabinoids.
A business developer at Go Life, a multinational healthcare company which is the headline sponsor of the expo, Greg Gilbert, said the criminalisation of cannabis had been a mistake because it has limited research into medicinal benefits.
“As with most plants there have to be buried treasures and those go far beyond the two well-known cannabinoids, THC and CBD. So exactly what the plant holds in terms of medicinal treasures is yet to be established,” said Gilbert.
Considering the anecdotal evidence of the medicinal benefits of cannabis, particularly for patients undergoing chemotherapy, Gilbert said cannabis health products could come to the forefront.
Goodness Khoza from the Traditional Healers Organisation in Johannesburg said they used cannabis for asthma, cancer and for healing patients with medical issues related to mental conditions.
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