THE CTAAPhoto Credit: Alesia KozikKeagan MattisonThe CTAA (Cannabis Trade Association Africa) is a voluntary non-profit association for cannabis industry companies and professionals.
One of the great things about the political system is that it is designed on the basis that no faction can be the judge of their own cause. This reason for this is his own interest would certainly bias his judgment and more than likely corrupt his integrity.

The personal feelings of many people supporting the legalisation of cannabis is obvious. They enjoy cannabis, they want to buy it legally and don’t want to be subject to criminal prosecutions for growing, selling or using it. Although it’s currently legal to possess and cultivate cannabis for personal use, the cannabis industry is still wrestling with something of an image problem. People are often uncertain which businesses are legally compliant and afraid of what they don’t know, therefore proving to be difficult to assess the quantum of the market in South Africa.
Now, what’s the motivation for the alcohol industry and manufacturers of opiate pain medication to oppose the legalisation of cannabis? Self-interest, of course.
If people can use cannabis legally, they will use less alcohol. If people can use cannabis legally, they will not require opiate medication as often for pain relief. There is all various data that can be scrutinized in support of either claim, including data on the pharmacological activity and relative safety of each of these three drugs.

These confessional acts are brought out by the genius of our political system, which brings clarity to otherwise chaotic claims about what is in the public interest and what is not. The political process transforms an abstract discussion over public policy into a clear and vivid contest between competing interests, each with something to gain. The public can then weigh up the pros and cons from either side, temper their perceptions with understanding of the self-interest motivating each faction and come to an informed decision. This raw expression of self-interest is often lost in abstract discussions over drug policies. It’s more difficult for the public to see who benefits and who pays the costs when prohibition is endorsed in legislative hearings.
Often the money backing prohibition is obscured from public view. But in a political campaign, a lot more transparency is available. This is where the CTAA is considered to be most valuable!
They promote the facilitation of trade for cannabis businesses from Africa, both locally and internationally, to benefit not only their members but also their respective clients.

By fostering education, communication and informational exchanges between regulators, cultivators, manufacturers, healthcare providers, commercial partners and communities, the CTAA have worked tirelessly to build a regulatory body for their members and are involved in industry and government liaison, education, networking, business and skills development and the general upliftment of their members and their long-term vision is to support, represent and advance the causes and interests of members of the cannabis industry.
In addition, the CTAA found that driving corporate social investment plays a critical part of in being heard and encouraging development with firm economic policies to further ensure that strategies are both cost effective and competitive within each area, exclusively. This in turn provides structural economic development opportunities.
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