Ghana’s cannabis industry is calling for a shift in public policy from stigma and criminalization toward regulation and industrial development following recent arrests linked to cannabis possession and cannabis-infused products.
Mark G. Darko, Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Cannabis Industry Ghana, said criminal conduct involving cannabis should be prosecuted but warned against conflating illegal activity with the broader commercial and industrial potential of the plant.
“People commit offences. People should therefore bear responsibility for their actions,” Darko said in a statement issued after recent cannabis-related arrests involving students allegedly producing and distributing cannabis-infused products. “But do not punish the plant.”
The comments stem from growing tension between efforts to build a regulated industrial hemp industry and persistent public concerns over cannabis misuse, particularly involving young people.
Ghana legalized industrial hemp cultivation with low tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, content as part of a broader strategy to develop new export industries and attract agricultural investment. Industry advocates say the sector could support manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, textiles, food processing, and construction materials.
Darko argued that repeated cannabis-related arrests risk reinforcing negative perceptions that could undermine investment interest in the emerging industry.
“Every time a cannabis-related arrest makes headlines, some people use the incident to argue against the entire cannabis industry,” he said. “This is neither logical nor productive.”
The chamber’s position comes at a delicate stage for Ghana’s cannabis market, which has struggled to gain momentum amid concerns over high licensing fees, strict compliance requirements, and regulatory uncertainty.
Industry executives have warned in recent months that the country risks losing investors to competing African and international jurisdictions with lower operating costs and more flexible licensing regimes.
Darko said the focus should instead be on building a regulated framework that separates illicit trafficking from legitimate industrial cultivation.
“The question before Ghana is not whether criminal activity should be punished,” he said. “The question is whether the actions of a few individuals should be used to condemn an entire agricultural and industrial sector.”
The chamber said it supports strict licensing rules, product safety standards, youth protection measures, and enforcement against unlicensed production and sales to minors. At the same time, it called for broader public education to reduce stigma surrounding industrial hemp and cannabis-derived products.
Darko also argued that prohibition alone has failed to eliminate demand globally and said regulation, quality control, and targeted law enforcement provide a more effective approach to protecting public safety.
