Research:2026-06-28/Journal article/value-capture-in-the-emerging-medical-cannabis-global-value-chain-insights-from-south-africa

28 Jun 2026 Journal article

South Africa

Value capture in the emerging medical cannabis global value chain: insights from South Africa

Andrew Bowman

International Journal of Drug Policy · 2026

Analyses the legal medical Cannabis global value chain in South Africa through 34 semi-structured interviews conducted between 2021 and 2024 with cultivators, brokers, consultants and civil society. Cultivators reported regulatory complexity, intensifying competition, imbalances in bargaining power and quality conventions requiring both artisanal sensory character and pharmaceutical rigour. The author argues that barriers to entry and the capital cost of upgrading push suppliers towards commoditisation and price volatility. The conclusion is that medical Cannabis export is unlikely to serve as inclusive development for small-scale growers in the Global South without substantial policy support.

Source DOI

2026-06-28 2026-08-08 Value capture in the emerging medical cannabis global value chain: insights from South Africa Journal article Andrew Bowman International Journal of Drug Policy 2026 10.1016/j.drugpo.2026.105400 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2026.105400 Analyses the legal medical Cannabis global value chain in South Africa through 34 semi-structured interviews conducted between 2021 and 2024 with cultivators, brokers, consultants and civil society. Cultivators reported regulatory complexity, intensifying competition, imbalances in bargaining power and quality conventions requiring both artisanal sensory character and pharmaceutical rigour. The author argues that barriers to entry and the capital cost of upgrading push suppliers towards commoditisation and price volatility. The conclusion is that medical Cannabis export is unlikely to serve as inclusive development for small-scale growers in the Global South without substantial policy support. South Africa