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The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) is raising the alarm over a surge in fraudulent service providers posing as SAHPRA-accredited.
The watchdog says it has learned about a troubling trend of individuals and businesses using falsified licences to deceive the public and carry out unregulated operations, putting lives at risk. The warning comes amid the booming popularity of cannabis-infused products in South Africa, from beverages and snacks to baked goods.
However, the lack of proper regulation, safety testing, and transparent labelling has sparked concern.
SAHPRA CEO Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela says in a statement that the rapid spread of cannabis dispensaries in shopping malls, many of which are openly displaying copies of alleged SAHPRA licences, is concerning.
“These documents were originally issued for the cultivation and export of cannabis flower and do not authorise the operation of retail cannabis dispensaries,” she says.
She says this kind of conduct is not only unethical but it is illegal.
“No individual or company is permitted to claim SAHPRA authorisation using forged documentation. We take this matter extremely seriously and will work closely with law enforcement agencies to ensure that offenders are held accountable. The public must be protected from such deceptive and dangerous practices,” she says.
Cannabis-infused juice lands woman in hospital
Nozipho*, a 47-year-old Braynston woman, was hospitalised after consuming a cannabis-infused drink, purchased from a pharmacy. She tells Health-e News that she found the juice in an aisle containing other fruit juices, and it had no distinct labelling.
“It looked like a normal juice, and hardly 10 minutes after drinking it, I felt strange. I was dizzy, feeling nauseous, had a headache and lost consciousness. Fortunately, I was with my husband, who rushed me to the hospital,” Nozipho says.
She was kept under observation for several hours and instructed to return the following day for her test results and was shocked to learn the juice was cannabis-infused.
“I was disappointed in the pharmacy, which I previously held in high regard, for being so grossly negligent,” she says.
She says that when she contacted the pharmacy, it blamed the supplier.
“The pharmacy gave my contact details to the supplier. He apologised and said he was prepared to pay for my medical bills. One wonders how many other people bought that juice without realising what was in it,” she says.
Symptoms of consuming cannabis-infused products
Associate Professor Neelaveni Padayachee, from the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology at Wits University, tells Health-e News that symptoms of consuming cannabis-infused drinks or snacks can include hallucinations, euphoria, paranoia, confusion, increased heart rate, and dry mouth.
These products can also cause nausea, vomiting, heightened sensory perception, and impaired motor function.
“Adults with underlying mental health conditions are particularly at risk, even a single exposure can worsen their condition,” she says.
She warns that pregnant women may experience dizziness, fainting, heart palpitations, severe nausea, or reduced foetal movement.
Be cautious when purchasing cannabis-related products
Semete-Makokotlela says the public should verify licences through official channels and remain cautious when purchasing cannabis-related products, especially from unfamiliar or unverified vendors.
In March this year, the Department of Health issued a government gazette aimed at regulating the sale, import, and manufacture of foodstuffs containing any part of the Cannabis sativa L. plant or its derivatives, including hemp, hemp seed oil, and hemp seed flour.
The gazette was met with criticism from industry leaders, particularly regarding the prohibition of cannabis derivatives such as hemp.
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Health spokesperson Foster Mohale says the department intends to protect consumers before lives are lost.
“People have criticised the department’s efforts to regulate cannabis-infused products, but currently, South Africa has no regulations on their use; it’s a free-for-all,” Mohale says.
He warns that the quantities of cannabis used in such products are unregulated and that many manufacturers appear to target young people.
Cannabis laws
In South Africa, only the medical use of cannabis is regulated under the Medicines and Related Substances Act of 1965.
This Act classifies medicines and substances into eight schedules. Cannabis and its psychoactive component, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), are listed as Schedule 7 substances, meaning they are considered to have no recognised medicinal use, except under stringent conditions. Access to these products is permitted only with a special licence issued by the Director-General of the Department of Health.
SAHPRA does not regulate cannabis-infused products intended for recreational use. The recreational use of cannabis was decriminalised in 2018 following a Constitutional Court ruling allowing adults to possess, use, and cultivate cannabis in private for personal use.
On 29 May 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act, which formalised this right. However, the Act does not permit the commercialisation or public sale of cannabis.
The Act criminalises smoking cannabis in public or selling it. It sets limits on how much cannabis individuals may own for private use and cultivation. – Health-e News
*Not her real name
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