Telling your mom you’re going to the CBD has an sinister new meaning from today (Friday 24 May 2019) after the latest victory in Dagga Wars... Cannabidiol (CBD), a compound extracted from cannabis that is found in everyday items such as skin creams, body oils and even beer, is suddenly the new buzzword in South Africa after the legal status of CBD got the green light on Friday.

The long and the short of it is that certain “medicinal” dagga products – Cannabidiol, or CBD, or dagga oil, to be exact – may now be sold without prescription. CBD is accepted as not being psychoactive. The oils containing this element are also NOT habit-forming and CBD does not pose any dangerous side-effect as long as the daily dose does not exceed 20 milligrams.

Also, the minister of health, Aaron Motsoaledi, announced that marketers are not allowed to claim their products Can cure or treat any medical condition. However, it is widely accepted that cannabidiol has an extremely positive affect on people suffering from anxiety and sleeplessness to chronic pain from arthritis. Apparently, it even helps with seizures.

CBD is immediately available from Vondel Premium (PTY) Ltd., an online concern based in Gauteng (see www.vondel.co.za). Vondel.co.za hosts an array of resources – from an intricate look into the medicinal benefits of CBD to the curing process of cannabis. “CBD products are notoriously expensive across the globe,” says co-founder Rian Kotze. “Vondel aims to limit margins in order to maintain pricing that is fair and more easily accessible to the general public. This is beneficial not only to the general public but might also seem appealing to interested investors looking to pair up with an early stage market disruptor.”

Products can be ordered online at www.vondel.co.za (payments are processed by PayPal) and delivery will take between 4 – 6 working days. This will soon reduce to 2-day deliveries as Vondel plans its own logistics solutions. According to co-founder and LGBT activist Jeandre Verster, Vondel is currently preparing for Series-A funding from potential Angel Investors. The company hopes to launch its first retail location by the end of the year, as well as develop their own range of CBD and related Cannabis Pharmaceuticals in preparation for full legalization coming 2020.

Interested investors can make contact via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Vondel also boasts a rather impressive Charity Policy, dedicating a staggering 20% of nett profit to Parkinson’s and Elder Relief organizations. ENDS Issued by www.vondel.co.za. Visit the website for more information.

With the Constitutional Court officially passing a judgment on 18 September in terms of legalizing the household use of dagga, the whole country seems to be in an uproar. What does this entail for employers in terms of still ensuring a productive and safe working environment for all?

We can expect that employers will now face a situation where some employees aim to take advantage of this situation and if reprimanded for unacceptable behaviour, employees might plead ignorance. For labour- and industrial relations, this new situation created by the judgment of the Constitutional Court does not affect the rules, policies or disciplinary consequences employees would face should they be found using dagga at the workplace, or arriving at the workplace under the influence of dagga.

Upon reading the judgment carefully you’ll find that the government now has 2 years to regulate this decision and officially write it into legislation. This means that any and all further regulations in terms of the quantities of private use, is yet to be determined. It is, however, vital that employers note that this judgment gave the green light to private use only, and that such use thereof is now decriminalised. Emphasis is placed on private use, as this means that employees may use dagga only at their homes. Should any employee report for duty and be tested positive for this narcotic (by use of observation reports; urine tests, etc.) or should they be found to use this while on duty, the employer still has the same measures of protection and remedies to his disposal as he would have had before the Constitutional Court’s judgment.

Employees must be informed that should they use dagga at home, they still have a duty to make sure that it would not be found in their systems when they report for duty and get tested. Should it appear that an employee arrives at work with this narcotic still in their system to such an extent that it can reasonably be expected to impact his ability to perform his duties productively, or that it could pose a safety risk to himself/other employees/the employer’s property, the employee can expect to be suspended pending a formal disciplinary hearing and a possible dismissal.

In order to avoid future situations where employees take advantage of this situation, employers are urged to have meetings with all staff members and inform them that even though private use is allowed, the rules and regulations of the company would still be followed. Furthermore, employers could implement a Zero Tolerance policy that would strengthen these rules and regulations.