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Opinions of Friday, 7 December 2012

Columnist: Putin, Ras

Ghana Is A Cocoa Producing Country

Ghana Is A Cocoa Producing Country Neither Cocain Nor Marijuana Production: Npp What Strategy Do You Have To Curb This?

When marijuana is smoked or eaten, a chemical called tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is absorbed into the bloodstream activating proteins in the user's brain and spinal cord. This produces short-term psychoactive effects including euphoria, a heightened state of awareness, and a sharp appetite. It's a high many users enjoy: One in three admits to having tried marijuana, and 5 million use it almost every day. Already allowed for medical use in certain countries, marijuana has also been legalized for recreational use in other countries. But even as pot moves toward mainstream acceptance, questions persist about its long-term effects on the mind and body.

Surprisingly, very little is known about marijuana given its widespread use. Going back to the main agenda, NDC in its manifesto have outlined policies to deal with this malware which is putting our youth at risk. Unfortunately, the arch rival NPP have no such policies in its manifesto like the other political parties vying for votes. What is agitating the minds of most concerned Ghanaians is why theNPP shying away from the issue of drugs? Why are they silent over all this important issue? Why haven’t NPP made mention of this national canker? The NPP's inability to speak on this national issue gives mixed signals that it is good to smoke pot. Or the NPP is silent on this as they have the intention of legalizing its use, import and export. Or the flag bearers of the NPP, Nana Addo, and the party itself, have no message on this major policy area.

Those who smoked weed in colleges a generation ago might find a token or two of today's product is enough to knock them all the way back to the Summer of Love. On the more serious note, medical research has it that whereas traditional marijuana contains around 1 percent of the active ingredient THC, today's weed contains up to 10 percent. The emergence of bioengineered crops and novel medicinal marijuana strains means that marijuana is no longer what it used to be in the 1960s and early 1970s. Once again, also missing in the NPPs manifesto is its cold attitude towards monitoring mechanism, with regard to what is grown in our country, by who, where, what, and why such products. This is a clear manifestation that the NPP does not love the entirety of Ghanaians let alone the youth as it is bent on opening a flood gate drug laxity. Drug use moves hand in hand with prostitution, armed robbery, turf war, death of innocent citizens, strain on countries limited resources, unprovoked insanity, homicidal tendencies, uncontrollable lust and this list goes on.

Marijuana user becomes a fiend with savage or 'caveman' tendencies. Their sex desires are aroused resulting in most horrible crimes. So to the NPP and its Freeman Nana Addo, we the youth of Ghana and others around the globe are waiting for your response on this important message.

Ras Putin Jnr.