The Ghana Health Service (GHS) is undecided in the matter of whether marijuana cultivation and use should be legalized in Ghana or not, a member of its top brass has confessed.
Dr. Dennis Laryea, Senior Public Health Specialist/Programme Manager for Non-Communicable Diseases at the GHS made the confession today at a press conference in Accra.
“…for the issue of Indian hemp legalization I do not like to get into that debate, because we do not have a position on it,“ Dr. Laryea said in response to a question from a journalist on the GHS’ position.
The confession serves a window into the fact that the Government and its agencies are ambivalent about the issue of the legalization of marijuana in Ghana.
Advocates mainly project marijuana’s numerous medicinal properties and general product value chain which transcend medicine into industry, as compelling selling points for government to legalize it.
The calls have also been energized by the fact that Ghana is said to have one of the highest quality variety of marijuana in the world. Indeed marijuana produced in the Brong Ahafo area enjoys a cult among casual users as a variety with flavor that is among the most tasteful in the world.
However, mental health advocates and enthusiasts have pooh-poohed the arguments of pro-legalization advocates dismissing their calls as a dangerous booby trap for the country’s adventurous youth.
In October 2017, the Mental Health Council warned government against legalization of marijuana arguing such action would worsen already disturbing cases of mental disorders.
It is as the two opposing schools of thought are still slinging it out that the GHS, a key relevant agency of State is confessing its total ambivalence over the issue. Per its undecided position, the GHS does not know whether legalization will be good for Ghana or not.
This position is believed to reflect a wider picture of government – many believe the current government will not legalize marijuana, not because its legalization is not good, but because such an action would be a very slippery path for the current President.
In the build up to becoming President in 2016, Mr. Akufo-Addo had been the subject of wild speculations that he was a heavy marijuana user.
The allegations had taken a toll on his public image, but it appears that the President has cured the bad image.
Many assess that President Akufo-Addo would not dare legalize the very hard drug that he was tagged with for so long.