Cannabis, wey people dey refer to as ‘wee’ or ‘ikpo’ for Ghana go remain illegal according to one new decision by Supreme Court of Ghana.
After 5-4 majority decision in de Supreme Court, de highest court of de land confam dia initial ruling say Parliament of Ghana decision to pass new law wey make cannabis farming legal no follow de constitution.
For 2020, Ghana Parliament pass de Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019) wey talk say “de Minister on de recommendation of de Commission, go fit grant license for de cultivation of cannabis popularly known as “wee” for Ghana which no be more dan 0.3% THC content on dry weight basis for industrial purposes for obtaining fibre or seed for medicinal purposes.”
Dis new law decriminalise medical cannabis, allowing for de production of cannabis wey get 0.3 per cent content of de principal psychoactive ingredient, Tetrahydrocannabis (THC).
What Supreme Court consider to quash de new law
De Supreme Court of Ghana quash de new law wey make cannabis farming legal afta one private citizen, Ezuame Mannan challenge de law parliament pass.
De private citizen argue say de process parliament follow to pass de law no follow sufficiently de process for policy change.
De Supreme Court afta hearing de case argue in dia judgement say de new law dey in violation of Article 106 of di 1992 constitution.
Dem uphold de decision to throw out de new law sake of de new law by parliament no explain de faults of de existing law, de solutions proposed to deal with those faults and de necessity for introduction of de law.
Secondly, dem for publish am in de Gazette afta, at least fourteen days before de date of introduction for Parliament.
But parliament no follow dis processes well before dem pass de bill wey make medicinal cannabis farming legal.
How Ghana dey handle cannabis
De laws in Ghana be quite strict on Cannabis which dey attract jail time of five years or more.
De Narcotic Drug Law of 1990 for instance talk say anyone found in possession of a narcotic substance go fit face “imprisonment for a term of not less dan 10 years.”
Supplying cannabis without money exchanging hands dey attract minimum of five years in prison.
Pro-cannabis supporters around 2019 start dey push for change in law about cannabis.
De Rastafarian Council of Ghana for instance plan say dem go embark on march to call for de decriminalization of cannabis.
Dis march however no happen sake of police block dem somewhere for 2019.
