The commencement of licensing for medicinal and industrial cannabis cultivation under the Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019) and the Cultivation and Management of Cannabis Regulations, 2023 (L.I. 2475) marks a significant policy transition for Ghana. The framework is clear: only cannabis varieties containing not more than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) may be cultivated, and strictly for medicinal, industrial, and research purposes.
Adult-use cannabis remains illegal. Public debate has largely centred on whether this directive amounts to legalisation. It does not. The regulatory safeguards are firm, and enforcement powers remain intact. However, beyond the immediate debate lies a more strategic and economic question that deserves urgent attention:
Should Ghana depend primarily on imported low-THC cannabis seeds, or should we invest in scientific research to develop compliant 0.3% THC varieties from our own indigenous strains?
After nearly two decades of working within Ghana's drug control environment, I am convinced that investing in local research is not only safer in the long term—it is significantly more economical and strategically sound.
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