The cultivation and management of Cannabis for commercial and industrial uses has been approved by parliament, following the passage of the Narcotics Control Commission Regulations 2023.
The approval of the Narcotics Control Commission Regulations 2023 by Parliament legalizes the cultivation of cannabis with a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of 0.3.
The Interior Minister and Member of Parliament for Nandom Constituency in the Upper West Region, Honorable Ambrose Dery reacting to the passage of the Legislative Instrument, Narcotics Control Commission Regulations 2023 admonished that the approval of Cannabis should not be misconstrued as the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes in the country.
He clarified that the country does not currently cultivate cannabis with a THC content of 0.3 and that the government is now getting ready to introduce such varieties.
Concerns Over The Abuse Of The Legalization Of Cannabis
Meanwhile, the Minority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Adaku Constituency in the Volta Region Governs Kwame Agbodza, has warned of the possible abuse of cannabis following the maturity of the legislative instrument to regulate its cultivation and management by the government.
According to the Minority Chief Whip, Governs Kwame Agbodza, the approval of cannabis by Parliament could worsen mental health conditions rather than improve the economic fortunes of the country.
“Unfortunately, the young man taking weed in this country is not going to take what he has to the laboratory to test HPC content before taking it. And none of you is talking about the potential for abuse or how badly it would degenerate the mental health we already have in the country. Why are we pretending that this is going to solve our problems in the country? Minister, do you even know how many people are taking weed illegally, to the extent that you are going to license the people and show them where to store the weed?
“Even electricity that the sources we produce we are known, we are unable to police the amount of electricity we produce in this country. You are now talking about giving licenses to people to produce weed. While I don’t have the potential of stopping this, the fact is that Ghana is blessed enough with gold, diamond and just recently we found lithium, none of them can save our country”
Governs Kwame Agbodza
However, the Chairman of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee of Parliament and Memebr of Parliament for Bolgantanga East in the Upper West Region, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, on the other hand, argued that research conducted by the United Nations Commission on International Trade and Development suggests that countries that legalized the industrial use of cannabis stand to benefit a lot from it.
He emphasized that the benefits of the legalization of cannabis for industrial purposes include economic, industrial, foreign exchange, employment, and medicinal benefits.
“Every part of the industrial hemp plants, from the roots to the flowers and seeds, has potential industrial and medicinal benefits, which can be beneficial to the economy of the country.”
Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine
In addition, the Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabenya and the new Vice Chairperson of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee, Sarah Adwoa Safo also reiterated Dr Ayine’s position, stressing that the approval by Parliament would be very beneficial to the country.
“We’re not talking about just a leaf in someone’s backyard, we’re talking about a whole industry that is been created. And if we have our fertile lands here, and we can grow and make sure that the right framework is in place, I don’t see why we can’t take advantage of it. Cannabis of THC 0.3 has little to no psychoactive effects and can be purposed into ropes, paper, and other building materials among others”.
Sarah Adwo Safo
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