I-Cannabis yaseNingizimu Afrika igunyazwe yiNkantolo Yomthethosisekelo wezwe ukuthi isetshenziswe ngabantu abadala ngasese. Kodwa-ke, imithetho eyenqabela ukusetshenziswa ngaphandle kwendawo yokuhlala yomuntu yangasese nokuthenga nokuthengisa i-cannabis isahleli. Njengoba imithethonqubo emelene nokuthengwa kwemikhiqizo equkethe i-cannabis isaqhubeka ukusebenza, kubuye kungacaci ukuthi lesi sinqumo singasebenza kanjani. Ngaphambi kokuthi kuvinjelwe ukwenqatshelwa kwesitshalo ngo-2018 abameli babecindezela uhulumende ukuthi aguqule imithetho yawo, eyayiqale yavimbela i-cannabis ngo-1922, ukuvumela ukuxolelwa kokusetshenziswa kwezokwelapha, imikhuba yezenkolo, nezinye izinhloso. I-Dagga ( iphimbo Afrikaans pronunciation: ), igama lesiBhunu elivame ukubhekiselwa kulo kweleCannabis; lisuselwa kwelesiKhoikhoi elithi dacha, elalisetshenziswa izifiki zokuqala zaseYurophu ezazingamakholoni eNtshonalanga Kapa. ICannabis kucatshangwa ukuthi yethulwe e-Afrika ngabadayisi bokuqala base-Arab noma baseNdiya. Yayisivele isetshenziswa kakhulu eNingizimu Afrika ngabomdabu amaKhoisan namaBantu ngaphambi kokuhlala kwabantu eYurophu eKapa ngonyaka ka-1652, futhi ngokwesiko ayesetshenziswa ama- Basotho ukudambisa ukuzala izingane. Ngokuya kombhali uHazel Crampton, izindlela zokupheka zakudala ze- Afrikaner zokwenza itiye nokudla zikhona ezisebenzisa isitshalo. Ukusetshenziswa kwesitshalo kwakuhlotshaniswa nemiphakathi yendabuko yase-Afrika kanye nesimo somnotho esiphansi.