The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has clarified that Ghana is not legalising recreational cannabis, amid ongoing public debate over the plant’s use.
Addressing the press on Thursday, February 26, the Minister stressed that the government’s focus is strictly on developing a controlled and regulated cannabis industry for medicinal and industrial purposes.
He explained that the policy is aimed at building a world-class, Ghanaian-controlled industrial and therapeutic cannabis hub capable of competing with countries such as Canada and the United States, while safeguarding public health and national security.
“Ghana is not legalising ‘wee’. We are creating a world-class Ghanaian-controlled industrial hub and therapeutic cannabis that will compete with the likes of Canada, the US, and others while protecting public health and national security,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Narcotics Control Commission has announced plans to introduce a licensing regime to regulate the cultivation of cannabis for approved medicinal and industrial use.
The move follows Parliament’s approval of a regulatory framework that permits the controlled cultivation, processing and use of cannabis containing no more than 0.3 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) for medicinal and industrial purposes.
Authorities maintain that the initiative is designed to promote economic development and medical advancement, not recreational consumption.
