The country’s first ever ‘cannabis college’ could open its doors in the Eastern Cape as the provincial government is pushing for this pipe dream to become a reality.
For many countries across the world, cannabis has become a source of income, stability and hope with the cannabis industry booming in countries that have legalised the wonder plant and started using it to uplift the economy.
South Africa is behind on the legilisation front but in coming months a revolution could see the herb legalised and even usher in an era of new establishments from schools to clinics that could change the future for the better.
There is still a lot of work to be done to achieve the dream of a cannabis college but the provincial government is currently considering transforming the old Lusikisiki teacher training college into a learning centre for those interested in the wonders of THC, CBD and all the other magical benefits of cannabis.
According to agrarian reform spokesperson Ayongenzwa Lungisa the idea emerged after a trip to Canada in 2018 where after just a month of legalisation the country saw a spike in jobs and unprecedented development in the industry.
Lungisa told Herald Live that a plan had been submitted to the provincial cabinet and that only time would tell what the future of the old teachers college would be.
“We’re looking at how much the college would cost and how much the provincial government would have to put in. This is one way of aggressively taking charge of the potential the cannabis industry can bring for the province, because it’s not just about cultivation but manufacturing as well, and teaching people skills,” says Lungisa.
The cannabis industry has the potential to employ thousands if not millions of South Africans, providing jobs that the country desperately needs while boosting the economy beyond bounds.
There is no time frame as to when the college might open its doors but the transformation could take place within the next three years.
It has been more than a year since the landmark ruling that decriminalised marijuana, making it legal for locals to grow and smoke the herb in privacy but many are still eagerly waiting to hear the fate of the plant and whether its potential will be harnessed in years to come.
With the Cape at the forefront of the revolutionary movement, however, one thing we can be sure of is that Cape Town and the rest of the province will be among the first to benefit from this untapped industry.
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