Beacon Bay residents are about to get a taste of “legal cannabis”.
Cannafrica, part of the JSE-listed Labat Healthcare, opened a franchise store in Beacon Bay on Saturday at The Hub.
It is one of 18 stores around the country run by the company.
The shop will distribute cannabis products, including for smoking and other ways to ingest or “deliver” cannabis to the body.
These include access to the raw plant, roll-ups for those who smoke and edibles.
They will also sell THC and CBD products.
It is part of the company’s study into cannabis products which is authorised by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority.
The stores are used for crowdfunding but, essentially, they are selling cannabis to customers whom they dub research participants.
Curtis-Jay Bennett, an East London-born businessman based in Johannesburg, has bought the franchise store, which opened its doors on Saturday.
Bennett said he went to Johannesburg to breed and sell American bully dogs.
His shop will sell cannabis products to people, but they will need to be registered as participants in a research study.
Bennett said the opening of his store did not mean he or the business advocated for smoking cannabis in public.
In 2018, the Constitutional Court effectively decriminalised consumption of cannabis for private use.
The judgment also meant that private South Africans can also grow the plant for their own use.
“I don’t have a smoking space ... I am not a smokers’ pub, I am not a smokers’ lounge, none of that.
“I am just a dispensary — you buy your product, what you do with it once you have left [is up to you].
“We obviously advocate that you consume it in the privacy of your own home.”
He said consumers were protected by the law and his staff would be able to educate them on the amount of product they could buy and carry.
They would also advise on the amount of product to consume for purposes like pain relief and sleep.
“Cannabis is no [longer just] dagga, that is gone.
“Anyone from 18 can understand the benefits and medicinal value in cannabis.”
Bennet said depending on how the store performed he would consider moving back home full time to expand the number of stores in the province.
He co-owns Blueberry Kennels Africa which exports bully dogs. They sell from R40,000 to more than R100,000.
Bennet said he had been passionate about cannabis for the past 10 years.
He had found out about Cannafrica online and took the plunge to legitimately be involved in the businesses.
“There is an opportunity here that Cannafrica has presented to guys like myself to buy into the franchise.”
Bennett said he initially planned to open a store in Cape Town but his East London roots won out.
“There are a lot of people in East London.
“I am from here, so I know a ton of people — from my great-aunts who use topical ointments to help them with arthritis, to cousins who are consuming through a vape mechanism to help with anxiety.
“There are a lot of different vehicles that allow you to consume it, but there was nothing [like this store].
“There are stores here, but legitimate stores that can operate like I am going to be doing, we are the first.”
There is a plan to open another store in Gonubie in two months and follow up with stores in Makhanda, Port Alfred, Port St Johns and other towns.
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