Parliament legalizes cannabis cultivation for industrial use in Ghana

The Parliament of Ghana has approved the Narcotics Control Commission Regulations 2023, officially legalizing the cultivation and management of cannabis for industrial and commercial purposes.

The approval specifies that the cannabis must have a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of 0.3.

During discussions on the Legislative Instrument (L.I.), the Minister of the Interior, Ambrose Dery, said that this should not be misconstrued as the legalization of recreational marijuana.

He clarified that cannabis with THC levels of 0.3 is not currently cultivated within the country, and the ministry is in the process of facilitating the introduction of such varieties.

However, Minority Chief Whip, Governs Kwame Agbodza, expressed concerns about the potential abuse of the law and its implications for the country's mental health.

He cautioned against overlooking the risks of abuse and how it could contribute to existing mental health challenges in Ghana.

"And none of you is talking about the potential of abuse and how that can degenerate into mental health problems we already have in this country. Why are we pretending that this is going to solve our problem? Minister? Do you even know how many people in this country are smoking weed?" Agbodza questioned.

Ghana’s leading digital news platform, GhanaWeb, in conjunction with the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, is embarking on an aggressive campaign which is geared towards ensuring that parliament passes comprehensive legislation to guide organ harvesting, organ donation, and organ transplantation in the country.

NAY/AE