The Advocacy Commission of the Rastafari Council Ghana has outlined a policy roadmap to end cannabis prohibition and position the crop as a viable driver of economic growth, industrial development, and public health reform.
Speaking at the Fifth Rastafari Cannabis Conference in Accra, Professor Yegandi Imhotep Paul Alagidede, the Bank of Ghana Chair of Finance and Economics at the University of Ghana, said the proposed framework balances economic opportunity with regulatory safeguards, particularly around dependency risks and medical applications.
He explained that the first step, full decriminalisation, would remove criminal penalties associated with personal use, possession and small-scale cultivation, while shifting enforcement resources toward a public health-based regulatory system.
This, he argued, would reduce state expenditure on enforcement and incarceration while creating space for a structured cannabis market.
The second pathway focuses on formalising cultural use, particularly recognising Rastafari sacramental practices within Ghana’s legal framework.
According to Professor Alagidede, this would protect indigenous knowledge systems while integrating them into a regulated economic ecosystem.
A third recommendation centres on equity-driven licensing, prioritising local participation in the cannabis value chain.
He stressed that smallholder farmers and cooperatives should be given preferential access to cultivation and processing licenses to ensure that economic gains are retained domestically rather than dominated by foreign investors.
The fourth pathway highlights reparative justice, including the expungement of criminal records for non-violent cannabis-related offences.
Professor Alagidede noted that such measures would not only address historical inequities but also reduce the long-term economic burden on affected individuals and communities, enabling broader participation in the formal economy.
The final proposal calls for strategic state investment in cannabis research, innovation and industrialisation, positioning Ghana as a leader in Africa’s emerging cannabis economy.
This includes developing pharmaceutical applications, industrial hemp products and export-ready value chains.
He referenced provisions in the Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019), which currently allow regulated cultivation of cannabis with THC levels below 0.3 percent for industrial and medicinal purposes.
However, recreational use remains prohibited under the law, limiting the sector’s full economic potential.
Professor Alagidede argued that prohibition has not achieved its intended policy outcomes, pointing to high usage rates despite strict enforcement.
He cited data indicating that approximately 21.5 percent of Ghanaians aged 15 to 64 have used cannabis, suggesting that demand persists outside formal regulation.
From an economic perspective, he emphasised that a regulated cannabis industry could unlock significant revenue streams.
Estimates presented at the conference indicate that Ghana could generate between GH¢2.1 billion and GH¢15.5 billion annually through cultivation, processing, and export activities if the sector is fully developed.
Mr Sedem Ofori, a researcher and anti-prohibition advocate, reinforced the economic argument, urging policymakers to reclassify cannabis particularly for medical and industrial use as an agricultural-industrial commodity.
He said such a shift would align cannabis with mainstream agribusiness policy frameworks, enabling investment, financing and large-scale production.
He also highlighted the fiscal cost of prohibition, noting that cannabis-related offences continue to contribute to prison overcrowding and public spending pressures. With the annual cost of maintaining an inmate estimated between $1,500 and $2,500, he argued that decriminalisation could yield immediate budgetary savings while redirecting resources into productive sectors.
Stakeholders at the conference concluded that Ghana stands at a policy crossroads, where regulatory reform could transform cannabis from a controlled substance into a high-value economic asset within agriculture, pharmaceuticals and manufacturing.
