SA reclassifies Medical Cannabis - Schedule 7 to Schedule 4 Today announced that the government of South Africa published recommended amendments to the Medical Innovation Bill that would change the status of cannabis products that do not have psychoactive properties from a Schedule 7 prohibited substance to a Schedule 4 substance. Schedule 4 drugs, which include antibiotics and corticosteroids, may be given verbally to the pharmacist by the doctor, although such instruction must be followed up by a written prescription within 7 days.
This announcement follows the Medicines Control Council's (MCC) proposed guidelines for growing cannabis for medicinal purposes, which was published for comment in March 2017. In last week's Medical Innovation Bill (Cannabis guidelines) briefing of the portfolio committee on health, Dept. of Health (DoH) Deputy Director Law Enforcement, Griffith Molewa, said they would approve regulations in the next few weeks. The MCC indicated that licenses would be issued thereafter.