AUTHOR
Franco Smith
EDITORIAL LEAD, CANNABUBEN
Franco Smith leads Cannabuben’s wellness education, writing plain-language guides on CBD, dosing and the South African legal framework for adult cannabis use.
GUIDES BY FRANCO SMITH
CBD BASICS
What is CBD? A beginner’s guide for South Africans
A plain-language introduction to cannabidiol (CBD) — what it is, how it differs from THC, and how it fits into the South African regulatory framework.
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DOSING
How much CBD should I take? A practical dosing guide
Body weight, goals, product strength — all the factors that influence a reasonable starting dose and how to titrate up safely.
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LEGAL · SECTION 21
SAHPRA Section 21 explained — the SA medical cannabis pathway
How Section 21 works, what it authorises, how long it takes, and how Cannabuben fits into the regulatory chain.
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PRODUCT GUIDE
Choosing your cannabis product — oils vs flower vs edibles
A comparison of the main product formats — what each is good for, how they differ in onset and duration, and how they fit into the legal framework.
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SCIENCE
CBD vs THC — the practical differences
Two cannabinoids, very different effects and legal status. Here’s what matters practically.
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PRODUCT GUIDE
The best CBD oil for first-time users — how to choose
A decision guide for your very first CBD purchase. Sort by goal, strength, and format so you buy once instead of three times.
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DOSING
CBD strength explained — 300 mg vs 1000 mg vs 2500 mg
Every CBD bottle lists a mg number on the front. Here's what those numbers actually mean, how much CBD is in each drop, and how to pick a sensible strength.
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PRODUCT GUIDE
Full-spectrum vs broad-spectrum vs isolate — the real differences
Three extraction categories, three different products. Here's what they actually contain, how they differ in effect, and which to pick for which use.
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PRODUCT GUIDE
How to read a cannabis Certificate of Analysis (COA)
A COA is how you verify what's actually in the bottle. Here's how to read cannabinoid content, purity, and safety tests — and spot a COA that doesn't hold up.
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PRODUCT GUIDE
CBD format comparison — oil, capsules, and gummies
Three formats with three different use cases. Here's how they compare on onset time, dose precision, portability, and practical fit.
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SCIENCE
Cannabinoids beyond THC and CBD — CBN, CBG, CBC, CBDA
The cannabis plant produces over a hundred cannabinoids. THC and CBD get the attention, but the minor cannabinoids are what give each strain its distinctive profile.
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SCIENCE
Terpenes and the entourage effect — what science says
The aromatic compounds in cannabis are called terpenes. The theory that they shape cannabinoid effects is called the entourage effect — here's what we know.
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LEGAL · SECTION 21
Is CBD legal in South Africa? 2026 guide
Short answer: yes, within the Schedule-0 carve-out. Long answer: it depends on dose, THC content, and what the product claims to do. Here's the 2026 state of play.
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LEGAL · SECTION 21
Schedule-0 CBD explained — what Gazette 43347 actually says
The 2020 Gazette that created the consumer CBD market in South Africa. Here's what the document says, what the limits are, and what consumers need to know.
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CBD BASICS
CBD oil vs hemp oil — what's the difference?
These two products look identical on the shelf but are fundamentally different. Here's what each actually is, how they're made, and why the price gap exists.
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CBD BASICS
CBD and general wellness — what the research actually shows
An honest summary of the current CBD research landscape for general-wellness use. What's supported, what's unclear, and what's marketing hype.
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More: all guides.