South Africa has amended its drug law to allow some CBD products to be available over the counter, making a temporary rule on non-prescription CBD permanent.
Certain CBD medicines and full-spectrum cannabis-derived products will no longer be subject to medical controls, according to a notice in the official gazette that was published last month.
- CBD medication marketed for general health or the “relief of minor symptoms” containing no more than 600 milligrams of cannabidiol per pack and provide a maximum daily dose of 20 mg of cannabidiol.
- Ingestible products derived from raw biomass that contain 0.0075% or less of cannabidiol and only the naturally occurring cannabinoids found in the source material.
All cannabis-containing products in South Africa were previously subject to the Medicines and Related Substances Act of 1965, which said that medicines containing cannabidiol, THC, or both cannabinoids required a prescription.
In May of last year, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi amended the law to remove certain cannabidiol preparations for non-serious health claims that contain a maximum daily dose of 20 milligrams of CBD. The moratorium was valid for 12 months and expired last month.