Cannabis is booming globally, with its legal market projected to grow from US$69.78 billion to over US$216 billion by 2033. Yet, in southern Africa, where the plant has been cultivated for centuries, small-scale indigenous farmers are being left behind. Despite reforms in South Africa and Zimbabwe, the legal cannabis industry remains dominated by wealthy investors. Chris Vick speaks to Dr Simon Howell, Research Associate at UCT’s Centre of Criminology, about the exclusion of traditional growers.