Parliament passes NACOC Amendment Act for medicinal, industrial cannabis cultivation
The minister is thus per the amendment empowered ‘to grant a license for the cultivation of cannabis which has not more than 0.3 THC content
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The Parliament of Ghana has passed the Narcotic Control Commission Amendment Act, 2023 to empower the Minister grant licences for the cultivation of cannabis for medicinal and industrial purposes.
The House passed the Bill after a thorough debate and vote by the members of Parliament.
This Act therefore replaces Section 43 of Act 1019 which was struck out by the Supreme Court for being passed in excess of Jurisdiction.
The minister is thus per the amendment empowered ‘to grant a license for the cultivation of cannabis which has not more than 0.3 THC content on a dry weight basis for industrial purposes for obtaining fiber or seed or for medicinal purposes.’
The Supreme Court in its judgment in a suit filed by Ezuame Manam, struck out Section 43 of the Narcotic Control Commission Act, 2020(Act 1019).
Subsequently, the Attorney General’s quest to review the decision of the ordinary bench also hit a snag thus being dismissed by a majority of 5-4.
The Minister thus reintroduced a new bill to replace the section struck out.
Speaking on the floor of the house, Mr Ambrose Dery noted that the section does not seek to legalize the recreational use of cannabis and thus the state will lose out if such a section is not maintained.
