Implications of legalisation of cannabis cultivation in Ghana: a critical review
Date
2023
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Drugs, Habits and Social Policy
Abstract
Purpose – Following the trend in the world over and on the African continent, the Parliament of Ghana
passed a new law in 2020, the Narcotics Control Commission Act (Act 1019) that eased the legal
restrictions on cannabis cultivation and use, subject to obtaining license from the relevant authority/
authorities. This paper aims to examine the implications of Ghana’s decision to legalise the cultivation of
cannabis for industrial purposes for the production of fibre and for medicinal purposes.
Design/methodology/approach – The author adopted the qualitative analysis critical review
methodology in sourcing information from peer-reviewed articles, coupled with the author’s own
professional knowledge, background and training, to critically analyse and review the reasons behind
Ghana’s decision to legalise cannabis cultivation and the implications such a major policy change/shift.
Findings – It was found that, while the law mentions industrial and medicinal purposes for the legalisation
of cannabis, the real reason, at least in the immediate term, is mainly economic. This agrees with those of
other African countries that have legalised cannabis cultivation but appears to contrast with those of
Europe and America.
Research limitations/implications – This research is limited to Ghana and the few African countries
that have legalised cannabis cultivation so far. The main reason for the legalisation (economic benefits)
may also change in the future when the economics of scale turn in the favour of the country. Therefore,
Ghana’s case may not represent the case of all countries legalising cannabis cultivation.
Practical implications – The research implication of this paper is that it brings to the world the law on
cannabis cultivation in Ghana. It provides a professional and scientific position paper on Ghana’s drug law
regime regarding cannabis, thus, serving as a useful reference literature to the academic and research
community on the topic. More importantly, it discusses the implications of such major policy change from
an objective perspective, unravelling the real reason behind the State’s decision to legalise the cultivation
of cannabis in Ghana.
Social implications – This paper will bring to the fore the other consequences of Ghana’s cannabis
cultivation legalisation policy change, which little attention has been devoted to so far.
Originality/value – This paper, apart from reference to other published texts on the topic, which have
been duly acknowledged, represents the sole work of the author. It has not been produced anywhere or
by anyone else either in Ghana or elsewhere
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Cannabis, Decriminalisation, Cultivation, Depenalisation