For Abena, a 35-year-old marketing specialist living in Accra, marijuana has been a godsend in treating her chronic back pain.
For the past 10 years, “weed” has done more than enough to reduce her pain significantly.
“I honestly feel like marijuana in many ways is like a miracle drug for me when it comes to pain and even anxiety,” she said.
“It works very fast. Within like five minutes, I’m already feeling the effects. So if I do have pain, I know once I smoke it, I won’t be in that much pain for much longer.”
Her alternative option for pain relief is Naproxium Sodium, a painkiller that costs GHC 1,300 on local healthcare websites like mymutti.com.
Despite the high price, she continues to purchase it, using marijuana as an effective backup.
“Between [Naproxium Sodium] and paracetamol and marijuana, that’s usually what I take to manage my pain. Because I can’t be on painkillers for an extended period of time, that’s when I default to marijuana”, she said.
What is the cost of Abena buying marijuana for her back pain?
GHC 300 a month.
Marijuana, a by-product of the cannabis plant, is increasingly becoming a go-to drug for pain relief.
A report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine concluded that there is substantial evidence that marijuana is effective for the treatment of chronic pain in adults.
These reports have bolstered authorities in certain countries to enable marijuana usage for medical and even recreational use.
In the United States, more than a dozen states have legalised marijuana for both medical and recreational purposes.
Ghana has taken some steps to legalising marijuana for medical use.
In 2023, Parliament passed the Narcotics Control Commission Amendment Bill. The amendment empowers the Minister of the Interior to issue licenses for the cultivation of cannabis with a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content not exceeding 0.3%.
This amendment applies only to industrial and medicinal purposes.
However, a framework has yet to be established, and no licenses have been issued despite the passage of the amendment two years ago.
The government is metaphorically sitting on a gold mine. By not enforcing cannabis cultivation and usage, Ghana is missing out on significant economic benefits as well as healthcare opportunities.
Ghana Is Losing Revenue by Delaying Cannabis Reform
Legalisation of cannabis has generated huge revenue windfalls for governments in some countries.
In the US state of Colorado, the local government collected over $2.3 billion in tax revenue between 2014 and 2023 after legalising cannabis.
In Germany, it is estimated that the country could generate €4.7 billion in annual tax revenue after passing cannabis reforms.
For Ghana, these revenue windfalls could do wonders for its battered economy.
In 2023, the country signed an agreement for a $3 billion “bailout” with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help with its growing debt.
The current Government administration stated that it would remove some “nuisance” taxes like the E-Levy and Emissions tax to ease the burden off Ghanaians.
But in removing those taxes, the Government would need to find alternatives to plug the revenue gap. Cannabis cultivation could be the answer.
However, authorities have essentially been leaving money on the table with delays in legalisation and cultivation of the plant.
Between 2021 and 2023, it was reported that the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) destroyed more than GHC 59 million worth of cannabis.
In July 2024, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) destroyed 274 bags of marijuana worth GHC 9 million.
In total, GHC 68 million worth of cannabis was destroyed, all of which could have been taxed if producers had been licensed and registered.
Licensing and taxation of local cannabis producers could open up more revenue pathways for the government if done right.
Entrepreneurship Opportunities of Cannabis Legalisation
In the US state of New York, Coss Marte, a former convict, reportedly makes $12 million selling cannabis legally to consumers.
His business currently brings in roughly $800,000 in sales per month, including nearly $100,000 in profit.
When New York legalised cannabis, Mr. Marte applied for a license, fulfilled all the requirements, and grew his business to its current state.
Cases like Coss Marte show a pathway for venturing into the cannabis business successfully once laws are relaxed and regulations and requirements are enforced.
Ghana’s youth could find similar entrepreneurial success if marijuana laws were adopted and enforced.
Youth unemployment in the country stands at 14.7%, with university graduates struggling to find jobs after school.
If cannabis were legal, with regulations in place for cultivating it, the youth could freely engage in cannabis farming and explore avenues in the marketing and sale of the product to earn a living.
Businesses created from these opportunities would all be subject to tax and licensing fees, all of which could bring in new revenue for government coffers.
The “Dark” Side of Cannabis
Although there are many positive sides to cannabis, there are some negative side effects associated with its usage.
When asked about the side effects of her usage, Abena stated that there were some downsides to her quality of life.
“Unfortunately, it has a significant effect on my quality of life,” she said.
“As a result of smoking marijuana and dealing with the “munchies”, I’ve also had to deal with an eating disorder as a result, and so I’ve struggled with my weight because of this,” she added.
She also highlighted how marijuana usage causes her to go into “zombie mode”, a state where she becomes drowsy and sleepy, affecting her ability to be productive after using it to treat her pain.
Studies have shown that cannabis usage can lead to cannabis use disorder (CUD), a psychiatric disorder that can lead to dependency for some users.
If laws for legalisation were passed and enforced, Ghanaian local authorities would need to invest in public education campaigns to inform citizens about responsible cannabis use and its side effects.
The Push For Cannabis Usage
Public perception of the usage of marijuana for recreation is still negative, even though studies show a majority of Ghanaians are in favor of medical use.
Those studies revealed that 72.6% (out of 1,216 respondents) said they would be comfortable with hospitals and pharmacies selling cannabis products to patients.
Although there is currently no timeline for the enforcement of the 2023 Narcotics Amendment Bill, the Minister of Interior, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, stated during his vetting process that he would fast-track its implementation “without delay”.
For users like Abena, the availability of cannabis for medical purposes in Ghana without the need for secrecy would be a godsend.
“I would be absolutely over the moon,” she said.
If the Government puts together a framework for licensing, cultivation, and sale of cannabis, it could unlock huge revenue potential as it did for its counterparts in the US and Europe.
A well-regulated cannabis industry could provide much-needed economic relief while ensuring responsible use.
But is Ghana ready to make that push? Or will it continue to leave money on the table?
