Cannabis and marketing in South Africa

The path from cultivation to commercial success remains complicated by regulatory ambiguity. Cultivators who master compliant marketing while delivering verifiable quality will build sustainable businesses, says Thomas Walker.

- Thomas Walker

Cannabis cultivators face a peculiar marketing challenge. They've navigated licensing through the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA), optimised cultivation, and produced quality flower. The next step is to find buyers. But the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act (No. 7 of 2024) restricts commercial sales, creating a legal grey area where marketing becomes as much about regulatory navigation as customer acquisition.

South Africa reached a combined CBD and medical cannabis market of R470 million in 2024, while the black market is estimated at R36 billion. There were 93 licensed businesses as of February 2025, competing for a medical market with roughly 1 000 registered patients and limited export opportunities.

WHO’S ACTUALLY BUYING

Medicinal patients represent the official market, although SAHPRA’s framework remains restrictive. Health-conscious consumers are tapping the wellness and CBD market, which is growing. CBD’s nonintoxicating classification makes it more commercially accessible than THC products.

Then there's the reality that most South African cannabis consumption happens through the black market, which cannot be captured through licensed channels.