Cannabis for Private Purposes Act: Draft Regulations Published for Comment

Posted 02 February 2026 Written by Acts Online
Category Justice

Brought to you by SA Legal Academy: The Department of Justice & Constitutional Development has invited public comment on draft regulations to be issued under the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act, No. 7 of 2024.

In terms of the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act, No. 7 of 2024, the Department has called for input by 5 March 2026 on the proposed regulatory framework. These regulations are required to facilitate the commencement of the Act, which was signed into law earlier in 2024 but requires specific administrative and quantity-based thresholds to be operationalised before full implementation.

Once finalised and in force, the proposed regulations are expected to prescribe the following:

  • Maximum quantities of cannabis plant cultivation material that an adult may possess in private;
  • The quantity of cannabis plants that may be cultivated in a private place;
  • The quantity of cannabis that an adult may possess in public and private places; and
  • Administrative procedures for the enforcement of the Act’s provisions.

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: No direct individual obligations currently exist; however, professionals should note the 5 March 2026 deadline for submitting technical commentary on the draft text to the Department.
  • For your business: Compliance officers and property managers must monitor the finalisation of these limits to update workplace conduct policies and residential lease agreements regarding the private cultivation and possession of cannabis.
  • For your clients: Clients must be advised that the legal protections afforded by the Act are strictly limited to the quantities and conditions to be defined in these regulations, and exceeding these limits may still result in criminal liability under the existing statutory framework.

Originally published at https://legalacademy.co.za/news/read/cannabis-for-private-purposes-act-input-sought-on-draft-regulations

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