Pharmacies selling CBD in South Africa
Verdex lists 1 South African CBD pharmacy chain, Clicks. Over-the-counter CBD is capped at 20 mg a day and 600 mg a pack; THC needs a medical route.
This page is about South Africa — not the country you picked in the header.
- Pharmacies rated
- 1
Clicks is the pharmacy chain in Verdex's list, selling over-the-counter CBD oils and capsules within SAHPRA's 20 mg daily-dose limit, in store and online. RethinkCBD, a Paarl-based brand, also sells through Clicks pharmacies. A South African pharmacy is not a cannabis dispensary: it can sell low-dose CBD as a complementary medicine, dispense stronger CBD on a doctor's prescription, and it cannot sell THC cannabis. No THC product had been registered in the country as of pharmacologist Andy Gray's December 2025 count, and a shop-side CBD product must keep THC at or below 0.001%.
Showing 1 of 1 pharmacy in South Africa
What a pharmacy counter can hand you
| Product | Schedule | How you get it |
|---|---|---|
| CBD at 20 mg a day or less, in packs of 600 mg or less, minor health claims | Schedule 0 | Pharmacies, health shops, supermarkets, online |
| CBD above those limits or with disease claims | Schedule 4 | Pharmacy, on a doctor's prescription |
| THC above 0.001% | Schedule 6 (THC) | Medical channels such as a Section 21 application |
These rules come from Government Notice 586 of May 22, 2020. Retailers do not need a licence to sell Schedule 0 CBD, according to the Traditional & Natural Health Alliance's summary; the importers, manufacturers and wholesalers upstream must be licensed by SAHPRA and employ a responsible pharmacist. That upstream licence is one reason a pharmacy is the safer place to buy.
Reading a label is simple: total CBD per pack at 600 mg or less, a suggested dose that keeps you at or under 20 mg a day, wording such as "supports general wellbeing" rather than disease claims, and a THC figure at or below 0.001%, ideally backed by a lab report. A 1,000 mg or 3,000 mg bottle, or a full-spectrum oil with measurable THC, is outside Schedule 0. If you take prescription medicines, ask the pharmacist about interactions first. Compare with the grey market in our guide to cannabis shops in South Africa, and the CBD oil rules.
Questions about this list
Can South African pharmacies sell CBD without a prescription?
Yes, within limits. Schedule 0 under SAHPRA's 2020 notice covers a daily dose of 20 mg or less and packs of 600 mg or less, with only minor health claims, and these can be sold in pharmacies. Stronger CBD is Schedule 4 and needs a prescription.
Do South African pharmacies sell THC cannabis?
No. THC is Schedule 6, and a shop-side CBD product must keep THC at or below 0.001%, according to SAHPRA's 2020 notice. Access to THC medicine goes through a doctor and a Section 21 application.
Is a cannabis 'dispensary' in South Africa a pharmacy?
No. SAHPRA says it has issued no retail cannabis licences, and SAnews reported in June 2025 that SAHPRA warned about dispensaries displaying licences meant for growing or exporting, which do not authorize a shop.
Buying in South Africa
Possession
Adults may possess cannabis in private for personal use (Prince, 2018). The 2024 Act is not yet in force; February 2026 draft regulations proposed 750 g in a private place.
Home grow
Private cultivation for personal use is protected; draft regulations (Feb 2026) proposed up to five plants.
Public use
Not protected; smoking or selling cannabis in public remains an offence.
Sales
Any sale of cannabis outside SAHPRA-licensed medical channels is a criminal offence; private clubs are in a grey zone.
Summary, not legal advice — rules change; check local law.
How this list is ranked
- License & compliance25%
- Customer reviews25%
- Lab & product transparency20%
- Pricing & value10%
- Service & access10%
- Complaint handling10%
Scores come from license records, published lab results, prices and public reviews. Sellers can’t pay to change their position.
How we rate