Chairman of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has clarified that the Parliament of Ghana has not passed any law that legalizes cannabis for recreational use.
He stated that the possession or trafficking of any narcotic drug, including cannabis, is a criminal offense under the laws of Ghana.
On Thursday, a Legislative Instrument laid by the government through the Interior Minister on the legalization of cannabis matured.
This L.I. will actualise the law passed to legalize the use of cannabis for industrial and medicinal purposes.
Minority Chief Whip, Governs Kwame Agbodza warned that if the Narcotics Control Commission law is passed by Parliament, ‘wee’ would be abused.
“And none of you is talking about the potential of abuse and how that can degenerate into mental health problems we already have in this country. Why are we pretending that this is going to solve our problem? Minister? Do you even know how many people in this country are smoking weed?” he quizzed.
But Dr. Dominic Ayine was of a different view.
He argued that the new law provides for sanctions against persons who abuse the substance.
“It goes on to say that a person who commits an offence in sub-section one for use is liable on summary conviction to a fine imposed in accordance with the penalty specified in the second schedule and an additional term of imprisonment specified in the second schedule if the fine is not paid.”
Meanwhile, the Vice Chair of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee, Sarah Adwoa Safo supported this position.
“We’re not talking about just a leaf in someone’s backyard, we’re talking about a whole industry that is been created. And if we have our fertile lands here, and we can grow and make sure that the right framework is in place, I don’t see why we can’t take advantage of it,” she said.
ALSO READ: