Ghana All Set for Cannabis Cultivation

In a groundbreaking move, Ghanaian Parliament has approved the Narcotics Control Commission Amendment Bill 2023, heralding significant changes to the cultivation of cannabis for both industrial and medicinal purposes.

The amended bill confers the authority to issue licenses for cannabis cultivation to the Ministry of Interior, paving the way for the responsible and regulated utilization of this plant across various beneficial applications.

This development follows the Supreme Court's decision to invalidate specific provisions in the Narcotic Control Commission Act, originally permitting the cultivation of certain types of cannabis for medicinal and industrial purposes. The court argued that these provisions were in violation of Article 106 of the 1992 Constitution. Despite an appeal by the Office of the Attorney-General, the Supreme Court dismissed the review application in a narrow 5-4 decision.

Throughout parliamentary debates on the bill's amendment, Members of Parliament stressed the significance of cultivating specific types of cannabis. They highlighted the potential benefits that could be harnessed from leveraging the plant's properties for both industrial and medicinal uses.

With the passage of the Narcotics Control Commission Amendment Bill 2023, the Ministry of Interior assumes the responsibility of issuing licenses for cannabis cultivation, marking a pivotal moment for the cannabis industry and opening avenues for further exploration of its vast potential.