The four-day event was attended by a massive Cape Town crowd, queues extended along the sidewalk as far as the eye could see by Saturday lunchtime. There were at least 500 people eagerly waiting to get a hold of their ticket at the door and enter the venue at Grand West Casino. 

The expo space hosted more than 100 exhibitors representing the leading minds and experts within the industry. Companies and consumers are excited to see what the market has to offer on the South African stage which will in turn create an opportunity for many within agriculture, the pharmaceutical and medical industry, construction, technology and textiles. 

Cannabis is one of the oldest cultivated plants on planet earth. The historical and ceremonial use goes back in history for thousands of years. African landrace genetics have been selected for centuries by family lineages and are sought after by many international collectors and breeders. Crossing genetics from different sides of the globe can produce interesting phenotypes and award winning strains. 

The cannabis market is already huge in countries like America, Europe and Canada. The African market is still in its infancy due to current regulations but has many passionate people and businesses who love the plant and are committed to its beneficial aspects. Local licenses to become a growing facility start at R5 Million which presents funding challenges for agriculture and small farmers competing within the international market. 

Thanks to events like the Cannabis Expo we are able to have open and public conversations on the approach to this ancient medicinal plant. The diversity presented helps the public learn more from the experts as we continually share updated information and medical analysis. This is important for the status and sustainability of many medicinal plants and their future use.

Interesting exhibitors from the Cannabis Expo

Aether Apothecary

https://aetherapothecary.com/

Plants and fungi are symbiotic and cannot exist without one another. South Africa is home to many medicinal plants and fungi that have been used all over the world for centuries. Aether Apothecary is one of the leading suppliers of your local fungal and botanical plant medicines. This company grows, extracts and harvests its products sustainably in the Eastern Cape. They specialise in selling tinctures that are created using subcritical extraction. The health benefits are too many to list in a single paragraph but with a little research you can find out more about  medicinal fungi like Cordyceps, Lions Mane, Reishi, Turkey Tail and Chaga on their site. 

Nature’s Relief

https://naturesrelief.co.za/

Nature’s relief is a supplier of holistic health care products in SA. Their unique approach focuses on treating specific conditions using natural medicines. Their herbal range includes Moringa products, sceletium, natural supplements, medicinal mushrooms and CBD products. They supply balms, oils, tinctures and capsules for humans and your pets. Their passion for healing and scope of products is unmatched.  

Shanti Natural Care

https://www.shantinatural.co.za/

Shanti Natural Care are suppliers of locally produced topical, beauty, hygiene and healthcare medicinal products. They have a wonderful range that uses locally sourced plants that are indigenous to Southern Africa. Essential oils form a large part of this handcrafted alchemy, and Shanti takes utmost care in creating their range. Some of the terpenes and scents you might come across include pomegranate, rooibos, peppermint, eucalyptus, aloe vera, rosemary, vitamin E, buchu, avocado, blueberry, coffee or CBD. You can be sure these products are some of the most effective and healing in their qualities. We should all be using products like these as most commercially sold products contain petroleum and are harmful to the user and environment. 

Qure

https://qure.co.za/

For GC (Gas Chromatography) analysis of your plant. Harm reduction comes from knowing exactly what is in what you consume. This is the most accurate analysis currently available and is used by scientists all over the globe. All you need to do is contact Qure and provide 0.5g of your plant material. They will test for potency, cannabinoids, terpene profiling, microbial count as well as residual solvents, heavy metals and other potential toxins or pesticides that could have been taken up by your plant in its growth stage. Companies like Qure are important for the progression and validation of the cannabis and medical industry.