Community knowledge and perception of cannabis tourism and its socio-economic impacts in Mahikeng, South Africa

The legalisation of cannabis for recreational purposes in the United States was the beginning of cannabis tourism. It improved the perception and acceptability of cannabis use in many societies across the world, particularly in developed countries. This paper investigates the community knowledge and perception towards cannabis tourism in Mahikeng, South Africa. Data were collected using in-depth face-to-face interviews with key informants, and the data analysis followed a thematic analysis approach. The findings show that all participants know cannabis and cannabis users in their communities, but some participants did not know about cannabis tourism. The results further reveal that the participants had mixed perceptions towards cannabis tourism. Participants have a positive perception towards cannabis tourism, believe that it will contribute to the local and the country’s economy. Participants with a negative perception argue that cannabis tourism will increase crime and gender-based violence. Therefore, the participants do not support the government’s plan to legalise recreational cannabis use. In conclusion, the cannabis tourism sector has the potential to boost local and the country’s economy. The knowledge and perception of cannabis tourism among communities must be improved for communities to support the cannabis tourism sector.