Former Chief Executive Officer of the Mental Health Authority, Professor Akwasi Osei, has advised the government to exercise caution when legalizing the large-scale cultivation of cannabis. He believes that without proper public education and sensitization on the different types of cannabis, people might inadvertently cultivate dangerous strains alongside the ones intended for medicinal purposes.
The call comes after the Minister of the Interior regained the authority to grant licenses for the cultivation of small quantities of cannabis for industrial and medicinal purposes. Parliament recently passed the Narcotics Regulation Commission Amendment Bill, 2023, which amends the Narcotics Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019). The new bill empowers the Minister of the Interior to grant licenses for the cultivation of cannabis, provided it contains no more than 0.3% of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content on a dry weight basis.
Professor Akwasi Osei, who has expertise in mental health and recently retired as the CEO of the Ghana Mental Health Authority, highlighted the need for public education before such a move. He emphasized the importance of distinguishing between different types of cannabis, such as cannabis indica and cannabis sativa, and the varying levels of THC they contain. While the newly legalized cannabis indica has a THC content of up to 0.3%, the cannabis sativa has a higher THC content, which is responsible for the intoxicating effects associated with recreational use.
The Narcotics Regulation Commission Amendment Bill was necessitated by the Supreme Court's ruling on the case between Ezuame vrs the Attorney-General and the Speaker of Parliament on July 27, 2022. The court declared Section 43 of Act 1019 unconstitutional, leading to the need for amendments and proper debate in Parliament. The new bill empowers the Minister of the Interior to regulate the cultivation of cannabis, while also preventing its use for recreational purposes.
The urgency to pass the bill was motivated by the benefits Ghana can gain from regulating the cultivation of cannabis with low THC content. Prior to the Supreme Court ruling, foreign investors had shown interest in investing in cannabis cultivation, making it necessary to expedite the process to avoid potential losses for these investors.
The Supreme Court struck down Section 43 of Act 1019 in July last year, deeming it unconstitutional due to the lack of debate in Parliament and the insufficient explanation of policy changes in the explanatory memorandum attached to the bill.
Overall, Professor Akwasi Osei's call for proper education and awareness before large-scale cannabis cultivation emphasizes the need to ensure responsible and informed decisions in the country's approach to cannabis legalization.
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