The volcanic nation of Ghana wants to legalize cannabis cultivation

Ghana may be the first West African country to legalize cannabis cultivation as it has instituted legislative processes to authorize the cultivation of hemp.

This happens just a year after the country decriminalized some cannabis strains. The country is showing serious determination to build a strong hemp-based cannabis industry in West Africa.

Cannabis laws in Ghana

Ghana passed its Narcotics Control Commission Act in 2020. This was done in order for the country to assess its readiness to grow and export cannabis for medicinal and scientific purposes.

The law was passed by the Ghanaian parliament on March 20, 2020 and entered into force by the President on May 11, 2020. The country has been exploring its prospects in the cannabis industry since last year.

The Narcotics Act authorizes cannabis for health and industrial purposes. The country also has a Narcotics Control Board (NACOB), the commission that has the authority to regulate the industrial use of narcotics across the country. It is also responsible for containing narcotics and ensuring that they are used correctly without endangering public safety. The mandate to stop the drug trade also falls within the NACOB commission.

Hemp cultivation in Ghana

The Narcotics Control Committee announced that it is currently working on a legal instrument that will soon be submitted to Parliament. This draft, if approved, would allow licensed farmers to grow hemp plants on designated arable land.

Francis Opoku Amoah, head of communications and media work for the Ghanaian Narcotics Control Commission, said the commission is doing its best to ensure that the language used in the legal instrument adequately reflects how it intends to regulate the new hemp industry in the country. The legal instrument needs to be solid and foolproof to ensure that fraudulent elements are unable to circumvent the detailed content.

Why now?

The globally approved cannabis policy played a huge role in encouraging the Ghanaian government to legalize hemp for medical and industrial reasons.

This would benefit the country in many ways. The introduction of a new cannabis industry will present Ghanaians with various job vacancies. The cities will also generate huge revenues from the cannabis tourism industry that would begin as a result of this legalization. Patients will also have access to affordable marijuana products without fear of being arrested for possession and use of cannabis.

The country’s economy will also experience a massive boost due to income from licenses and taxed sales. All of this depends on how well the Narcotics Control Commission can develop a legal system to manage the business of the industry.

The proposed legal instrument (LI)

The legal instrument only allows the production of cannabis strains with less than 0.3 percent THC content. These strains are commonly known as hemp. They have very little or no psychoactive effects when used.

Once adopted, the legal instrument will provide guidance on how the Commission will issue licenses to farmers interested in growing cannabis. It is also used to direct all operations involved in cannabis production; from seed testing, cultivation, processing and sale of the products.

Until the instrument is approved by Parliament and approved by President Nana Akufo-Addo, it will remain a crime to cultivate weeds.

The Narcotics Control Commission has warned the public not to pay any amount to federal agents, groups, or companies to obtain licenses to grow weed for the time being. According to the commission, anyone asking for money to do business related to cannabis should be viewed as a fraud for the time being.

Once the legal instrument is approved, the Commission will provide the basis for obtaining a cultivation or business license for cannabis companies. It would also clear the regulations that must be followed by all players in the hemp industry to keep things running smoothly.

Is Ghana suitable for growing cannabis?

Ghana and several countries in Africa have a favorable climate that would encourage the optimal growth of cannabis plants.

Ghana has warm and sunny weather with a lower incidence of rain and cold weather compared to European and North American countries. The rainfall is enough to be able to rely on more water to meet the plants’ water needs.

Hemp thrives in warm climates, and some strains thrive extremely well in intense heat.

Licensed farmers have the option to practice dry farming and drip irrigation. These are cheap and efficient practices that would not affect the quality of the cannabis plants when harvested. Ghana becomes the producer of one of the best qualities of hemp flower.

Potential of Ghana’s hemp industry

It’s a prime location near Nigeria that ensures there is a market for every cannabis product it wants to make. As production increases, European countries will start talks with the Ghanaian government to import their products to meet the demand for medical cannabis in their countries.

In the past year, Ghana has proven to be a good location for foreign investors due to its progressive policy. Hopefully their hemp industry would be the same. It wouldn’t be surprising if American and Canadian companies were able to set up farms and processing plants in the country in record time.

Bottom line

Africa is close to Europe, and if all African countries were encouraged to legitimize cannabis cultivation, they could serve Europe’s growing cannabis market.

Rethinking cannabis growing laws in Ghana is one of the best decisions this government could have made.

It joins the list of African countries such as Lesotho, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia and Uganda that grant farmers administrative licenses to grow cannabis hemp commercially for medical, scientific and industrial purposes.

Other West African countries will most likely use the economic incentives associated with legal cannabis trafficking to initiate processes to legalize the cultivation, sale and use of cannabis.

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