Government to Lay Guidelines for Cultivation and Management of Cannabis for Approval in 2025
In July 2022, the Supreme Court of Ghana ruled in a 4-3 majority decision that the inclusion of Section 43 in the Act was unconstitutional, citing procedural flaws in its passage. However, experts believe that the successful implementation of these cannabis regulations could unlock significant economic benefits for Ghana.
The Minister for Finance, Hon. Ato Forson has revealed that the Ministry of the Interior has initiated processes to implement Section 43 of the Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019) and the Narcotics Control Commission Regulation 2023 (L.I. 2475).
He announced this in his presentation of the 2025 Budget Statement to Parliament on March 11, 2025.
Hon. Ato Forson stated that this initiative is aimed at regulating the cultivation and management of cannabis with a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content not exceeding 0.3% on a dry weight basis in Ghana.
According to the Minister, Comprehensive Guidelines for the cultivation and management of cannabis have already been drafted, and the associated charges and fees will be laid before Parliament for approval in 2025. This is contained paragraph 734, page 119 of the THE 2025 BUDGET STATEMENT AND ECONOMIC POLICY OF GOVERNMENT referred to as “Resetting The Economy For The Ghana We Want”.
This development comes after years of legal back-and-forth regarding cannabis legislation in Ghana. The passage of Act 1019 in 2020 was initially celebrated as a progressive move toward the regulation of industrial hemp and medicinal cannabis. However, in July 2022, the Supreme Court of Ghana ruled in a 4-3 majority decision that the inclusion of Section 43 in the Act was unconstitutional, citing procedural flaws in its passage.
Following a review application by the Attorney General, the Supreme Court reaffirmed its decision in May 2023, maintaining that the legislative process leading to the law's approval was flawed. This ruling temporarily halted efforts to regulate the cultivation and management of industrial hemp in Ghana. This necessitated Parliament to reconvene and pass amendment of the Act to let same be inline with the parameters set by the Supreme Court.
The decision to finalize regulatory guidelines and present them before Parliament for approval signals a renewed push toward creating a structured legal framework for industrial hemp cultivation.
Experts believe that the successful implementation of these cannabis regulations could unlock significant economic benefits for Ghana. The global industrial hemp market is estimated to reach over $18 billion by 2027, with diverse applications in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, textiles, biofuel, and construction. If regulated effectively, Ghana could become a key exporter of industrial hemp, generating substantial revenue and creating thousands of jobs in agriculture, processing, and research.
The Ministry of the Interior is expected to engage stakeholders, including farmers, medical professionals, investors, and security agencies, to ensure that the proposed regulations balance economic benefits with public safety and law enforcement concerns.
As Ghana moves toward a structured legal framework for cannabis cultivation, the eyes of industry players, legal experts, and investors will be on Parliament when the guidelines and fee structures are laid for approval in 2025. Whether this will mark the beginning of a thriving industrial hemp industry in Ghana remains to be seen.
