The regulation of the cultivation and management of cannabis popularly referred as ‘wee’ will exacerbate mental health problems in the country more than the economic fortunes it promises for the nation.
The Minority Chief Whip, Governs Kwame Agbodza,who has made the observation has said that the propensity for people to abuse the usage of the herb is very high, following the maturity of the legislative instrument to streamline the product for medicinal and industrial purposes.
This comes after the passage of the parent law in Parliament.
He says many of the youth are already smoking the herb illegally and granting them license to cultivate and store would worsen things.
“Unfortunately, the young man taking weed in this country is not going to take what he has to the laboratory to test HPC content before taking it. And none of you is talking about the potential for abuse or how badly it would degenerate the mental health we already have in the country. Why are we pretending that this is going to solve our problems in the country? Minister, do you even know how many people are taking weed illegally, to the extent that you are going to license the people and show them where to store the weed?” he said in Parliament.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee, Dr. Dominic Ayine, highlighted on the economic gains Ghana would get, citing other nations who have taken the lead in its legalisation for example.
“Mr. Speaker, studies conducted by the United Nations Commission on International Trade and Development indicate that the industry has potential benefits for countries that have legalized its cultivation and management. These include economic, industrial, foreign exchange, employment, and medicinal benefits. Every part of the industrial hemp plants, from the roots to the flowers and seeds, has potential industrial and medicinal benefits, which can be beneficial to the economy of the country,” he stated.
READ ALSO: Wee smokers to go on naked demo over rise in price of substance
