Country profile · Africa & Middle East
South Africa
Private use only — no legal sales.
Adult-useLegalPrivate use only — no legal sales.
MedicalRestrictedLegal on paper, with access limited to a few approved products or special permits.
RegionAfrica & Middle East
Last reviewedStatuses reviewed quarterly by our newsroom
The law in brief
The Cannabis for Private Purposes Act, signed in May 2024, legalises private adult use, possession and cultivation but not sales. Medical access runs through SAHPRA permits and licensed cultivators supply export markets.
Our classification for South Africa: adult use legal, medical cannabis restricted.
Adult-use: LegalAdults may lawfully possess cannabis under national law (the United States is counted at state level).
Medical: RestrictedLegal on paper, with access limited to a few approved products or special permits.
Key dates and latest developments
Stop Consulting, Start Implementing: South Africa’s Cannabis Industry Demands Action as Businesses Suffer
International Regulation
Eight Years After Decriminalisation, South Africa’s Cannabis Industry Edges Towards Regulated Market
Hemp Industry
Inside Australia’s Medical Cannabis Boom: Prescriptions, Products & Patients
International Regulation
South Africa Decriminalises Cannabis Ahead of Historic Election
Adult-Use
