Ghana buying weed

__________________________

📍 Verified store!

📍 Guarantees! Quality! Reviews!

__________________________

▼▼ ▼▼ ▼▼ ▼▼ ▼▼ ▼▼ ▼▼

▲▲ ▲▲ ▲▲ ▲▲ ▲▲ ▲▲ ▲▲

Ghana buying weed

Journal of Cannabis Research volume 4 , Article number: 58 Cite this article. Metrics details. Interest in industrial hemp is increasing steadily, as can be seen by the growing number of countries that have either decriminalized industrial hemp or are contemplating its decriminalization. This article examines cannabis including industrial hemp production, facilities for industrial hemp exploitation, and the potential benefits of industrial hemp in Ghana. Indigenous cannabis strains in Ghana have high THC to CBD ratios suggesting the need for the government to purchase foreign hemp seeds, considering that the alternative will require significant research into decreasing the THC to CBD ratio of indigenous cannabis strains. Furthermore, there are several facilities within the country that could be leveraged for the production of medicinal hemp-based drugs, as well as the existence of a number of possible regulatory bodies in the country, suggesting the need for less capital. Research has also shown the potential for treatment of some medical conditions prevalent among Ghanaians using medicinal hemp-based products. These reasons suggest that the most feasible option may be for the government to invest in medicinal hemp. Considering the challenges associated with the development of other hemp-based products, the availability of resources in the country for exploitation of medicinal hemp, and the potential benefits of hemp-based drugs to Ghanaians, investing in medicinal hemp may be the best option for the government of Ghana. Cannabis plants can be classified as Cannabis sativa , Cannabis indica , and Cannabis ruderalis Gloss based on their morphology and chemical composition. The hemp plant is a multi-purpose plant: the seeds can be used as food for humans and livestock Callaway , the compounds in the flowering parts can used as medicine, and the fibers in the stalk can be used to produce paper, carpet, fabrics, and insulation materials Small et al. Hemp originated from Central Asia Klumpers and Thacker , where it was mostly cultivated for food, fiber, and medicine Russo et al. Africa is considered the second largest producer of cannabis herbs and the largest supplier of cannabis resins Leggett and Pietschmann The amount of cannabis produced in Africa is enough to meet demands on the continent and beyond United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Cannabis was introduced into Africa along the Mediterranean coast Duval likely through trade with Arabs Du Toit ; however, it became more salient in Africa after the second world war. Its cultivation in Africa was spurred on in the s by the economic crisis Carrier and Klantschnig Cannabis was mostly smoked in Africa, but was also used for other purposes Duval In countries like Egypt and Tunisia, which lie in the northern African region, cannabis was cultivated between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to meet the high demand in the region Duval Products like edible cannabis drugs and smokable forms of cannabis, like hashish, were also common in Northern Africa Livet In Eastern African countries like Kenya and Ethiopia, cannabis plantations were common during the thirteenth century Du Toit Between the s and s, the plant grew in several locations in central Africa including Sao Tome, the democratic republic of Congo, and Angola, where it was grown as an irrigated crop Duval In Southern Africa, the hemp variety was used to produce fibers for fabrics in Madagascar, while in Mozambique the stem was used to produce cordage and the leaves used to make medicine Duval It was also cultivated in Botswana as an irrigated crop in the s Duval In the s, cannabis reached West Africa via the coastal areas Akyeampong through sailors and second world war veterans who returned from the Middle and Far East and North Africa Asuni In Ghana, a West African country, the cultivation of cannabis expanded significantly between and Bernstein Specifically, while 0. The prevalence of cannabis use in Ghana among the population between 15 and 64 years is In Ghana, cannabis is used by individuals of all classes, including students and workers Adu-Gyamfi and Brenya ; Adu-Mireku , by smoking, mixing with food and local beverages, and as cannabis oil Bernstein In the early twentieth century, hemp cultivation decreased significantly for reasons including its replacement with other materials Small et al. Accordingly, on March 20, , Ghana decriminalized industrial hemp cultivation Owusu , resulting in an increase in interest in the benefits of hemp to the country. This article examines the state of cannabis production, the facilities available to exploit industrial hemp, and the potential benefits of medicinal hemp in Ghana. In this article, medicinal hemp refers to industrial hemp prescribed for the treatment of medical conditions. In , the Narcotics Drugs Act, , was passed in Ghana to criminalize the possession or importation of narcotic substances, including cannabis Owusu and breaking this law could lead to imprisonment for up to 10 years Sensi Seeds However, in March , the Narcotics Control Commission Act, Act was passed, which decriminalized the cultivation of hemp which should contain no more than 0. The use of cannabis for medicinal purposes is still illegal, unless one has the approval of the Ministry of Health Sensi Seeds Ghana has therefore joined African countries like Zambia, Lesotho, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, who have already legalized cannabis cultivation Duval While the law allows accredited companies to apply for hemp cultivation licenses, none has been granted to date Owusu Limited available data suggests that the illegal cultivation of high quality cannabis is still ongoing Bernstein ; United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime ; Observatoire Geopolitique des Drogues In , about 4. Moreover, after analyzing the cannabinoid content of cannabis plants obtained from illegal cannabis farms located in the Ashanti, Eastern, and Volta regions of Ghana in November , March , and May , respectively, the same study found THC and CBD contents ranging from 4. This suggests that cannabis plants that may be indigenous to Ghana have high THC and low CBD contents, possibly due to the weather conditions in the country Bruci et al. Since hemp cultivation has been decriminalized in the country, there is the need for the government to either invest in research to decrease the THC to CBD ratio in indigenous cannabis strains, which will require significant financial and human capital, or import industrial hemp seeds that meet their requirements. The hemp plant has many uses. However, considering how much capital would be required to develop fiber processing plants Fike , the challenges new textile industries might face when competing with China, the leading textile producer in the world Small et al. The reasons why investing in the extraction of cannabinoids from industrial hemp may be favorable for the country include the need for less capital to establish laboratories or facilities for this purpose, the straight-forward methods for cannabinoid extraction, and the currently existing research facilities and infrastructure in the country. Cannabinoids have been shown to be effective in treating several diseases. However, the government should focus its potential cannabinoid research towards treatments for diseases such as epilepsy and cancers that are prevalent among Ghanaians. Epidiolex, an oral solution mostly containing CBD, is also effective for the treatment of seizures Stockings et al. There is therefore sufficient evidence for the efficacy of CBD against epilepsy, and this CBD could be extracted from hemp. Another disease which continues to burden Ghanaians is cancer, specifically cancers of the breast and cervix with incidences of Limited preliminary evidence shows that CBD can inhibit the growth and induce the death of breast and cervical cancer-causing cells Lukhele and Motadi ; Shrivastava et al. Treatments for breast cancer in Ghana includes chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and mastectomy, which patients find unpleasant and expensive Clegg-Lamptey CBD could be a cheaper and more efficient alternative drug for such conditions, which justifies the need for government to invest in medicinal hemp research. The public perception towards cannabis in Ghana is negative since, in a case study published in , it was reported that in Ghana cannabis is mostly associated with prostitution, violence, criminal behavior, and madness Bernstein ; Sensi Seeds There is therefore a stigma associated with cannabis. This might have impacted the willingness of Ghanaians to see the crop in a different light. However, a recent cross-sectional online survey conducted between October 22 and December 10, , involving respondents from six African countries reported that while majority of Ghanaians are against recreational cannabis use, similar to participants from Nigeria and Uganda, most Ghanaians are open to it being legalized for medicinal purposes, similar to participants in all countries surveyed Kitchen et al. Specifically, To improve public perception about medicinal hemp, light should be shone on the positive aspects of the plant. Through workshops and media programs Felson false , trusted experts, such as researchers and medical practitioners, in the field of medicinal hemp science could be invited to discuss the efficacy and safety of medicinal hemp-based products. The involvement of medical practitioners is very critical to the acceptance of medicinal hemp-based drugs since, following the development of drugs, they would be in the position to prescribe or recommend them to patients. Additionally, education programs should be organized for stakeholders in the development of medicinal hemp-based drugs to increase their knowledge and willingness to treat patients with and recommend the use of these products. To understand how Ghana can benefit from medicinal hemp, it is necessary to examine existing facilities and infrastructure that can be used for testing, extraction, and research on cannabinoids. Due to the profit potential associated with the sale of cannabinoid extracts and cannabinoid-based drugs, not only the government, but other privately owned pharmaceutical companies with research facilities and resources in the country may also want a slice of the medicinal hemp market. For example, in , only 0. In Ghana, there are several public research universities and institutions whose facilities and expertise could be leveraged in order to profit from the medicinal hemp venture. Aside the numerous laboratories available in these universities, the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, which is a part of the College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, may also have facilities that can be used over the short-term to extract cannabinoids, evaluate their concentrations, and test their efficacies against diseases. In order to promote and protect public interest with regards to medicinal hemp and its products, regulatory bodies will be essential. Regulatory bodies for medicinal hemp are needed to monitor and clarify who qualifies for the license to cultivate it, where seeds can be obtained, what it can be used for, which medical conditions can be treated with medicinal hemp, which companies are allowed to produce these products, which categories of patients can be treated with medicinal hemp, when patients can be treated with medicinal hemp, the needed tests that products will have to undergo before being made available to the public, and which institutions will carry out these tests. It is an agency of the Ministry of Health of Ghana. One of the services provided by the CPMR is the testing of plant-based herbal medicines for safety and efficacy. The CPMR also produces laboratory animals for various research laboratories in the country. Based on the objectives of the CPMR, it could easily be one of the regulatory bodies for cannabinoid-based products. The plant development department of the CPMR could help test industrial hemp strains, how they are affected by the climate, and which species may be ideal for the production of medicinal hemp. Furthermore, knowing that factors such as light Danziger and Bernstein a , manipulation Danziger and Bernstein b , pathogens Punja et al. Following the development of cannabinoid-based products by pharmaceutical companies and research facilities, the services of research centers of the Ghana Health Service like the Navrongo Health Research Center, Dodowa Health Research Center, and the Kintampo Health Research Center, could be enlisted to assess their efficacy through the conduct of clinical trials. Regulatory bodies similar to the CPMR could be established or some departments at the CPMR could be expanded in the near future based on the success of the medicinal hemp industry in the country. By focusing on the benefits medicinal hemp can offer and by putting the necessary measures in place to regulate its cultivation and processing, industrial hemp-based drugs could be affordable and excellent alternatives to several less effective drugs. Considering the current economy of Ghana, investing in industrial hemp for the production of medicine may be the most feasible option since there are currently a number of facilities that could be used for research on medicinal hemp and for the production of hemp-based medicine. Additionally, a number of institutions already present in the country can serve as regulatory bodies for hemp-based medicine. The existence of these facilities suggest the need for less capital by the government in order to exploit the benefits of medicinal hemp. Adhikary D, et al. Medical cannabis and industrial hemp tissue culture: present status and future potential. Front Plant Sci. Article Google Scholar. Adu-Gyamfi S, Brenya E. The marijuana factor in a university in Ghana: A survey. Adu-Mireku S. The prevalence of alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use among Ghanaian senior secondary students in an urban setting. J Ethn Subst Abus. Agyepong M. Determination of the contents of three major cannabinoids in cannabis samples found in Ghana: University Of Ghana; Google Scholar. Akyeampong E. Diaspora and drug trafficking in West Africa: a case study of Ghana. Afr Aff. Amoako YA, et al. Malignant tumours in urban Ghana: evidence from the city of Kumasi. BMC Cancer. Asuni T. Socio-psychiatric problems of cannabis in Nigeria. Bull Narc. Ayuurebobi K, et al. Prevalence and risk factors for active convulsive epilepsy in Kintampo, Ghana. Pan Afr Med J. Bernstein H. Ghana's drug economy: some preliminary data. Rev Afr Polit Econ. The rise and decline of cannabis prohibition. The history of cannabis in the UN drug control system and options for reform. Bruci Z, et al. First systematic evaluation of the potency of Cannabis sativa plants grown in Albania. Forensic Sci Int. Callaway JC. Hempseed as a nutritional resource: An overview. Plant density and nitrogen fertilization affect agronomic performance of industrial hemp Cannabis sativa L. Ind Crop Prod. Carrier N, Klantschnig G. Illicit livelihoods: drug crops and development in Africa. Cherney JH, Small E. Psychosocial aspects of breast cancer treatement in Accra, Ghana. East Afr Med J. Collins J. A brief history of cannabis and the drug conventions. AJIL Unbound. Crowder L. A concise cannabis guide: history, laws and regulations. Calif Agric. Danziger N, Bernstein N. Light matters: effect of light spectra on cannabinoid profile and plant development of medical cannabis Cannabis sativa L. Devinsky O, et al. Cannabidiol in patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy: an open-label interventional trial. Lancet Neurol. Du Toit BM. Man and cannabis in Africa: a study of diffusion. Afr Econ Hist. Duval CS. A brief agricultural history of cannabis in Africa, from prehistory to canna-colony; Book Google Scholar. How and why have attitudes about cannabis legalization changed so much? Soc Sci Res. Article PubMed Google Scholar. Fike J. Industrial hemp: renewed opportunities for an ancient crop. Crit Rev Plant Sci. Gloss D. An Overview of Products and Bias in Research. Hess EJ, et al. Cannabidiol as a new treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy in tuberous sclerosis complex. Kariuki SM, et al. Clinical features, proximate causes, and consequences of active convulsive epilepsy in A frica. Kitchen, C. Klevor R. Epilepsy in Ghana: challenges, possibilities, future directions. Afr Middle East Epilepsy J. A brief background on cannabis: From plant to medical indications. Leggett T, Pietschmann T. Global cannabis cultivation and trafficking. Li H-L. An archaeological and historical account of cannabis in China. Econ Bot. Livet L. Les fumeurs de Kif. Cannabidiol rather than cannabis sativa extracts inhibit cell growth and induce apoptosis in cervical cancer cells. Observatoire Geopolitique des Drogues. Industrial hemp as an agricultural crop in Ghana. J Cannabis Res. Porter B. Empire ways: aspects of British imperialism: Bloomsbury Publishing; Punja ZK, et al. Pathogens and molds affecting production and quality of Cannabis sativa L. Russo EB, et al. Phytochemical and genetic analyses of ancient cannabis from Central Asia. J Exp Bot. Saloner A, Bernstein N. Nitrogen supply affects cannabinoid and terpenoid profile in medical cannabis Cannabis sativa L. Sensi Seeds. Cannabis in Ghana - Laws, Use, and History. Cannabis liberalization and adolescent cannabis use: a cross-national study in 38 countries. PLoS One. Shrivastava A, et al. Cannabidiol induces programmed cell death in breast cancer cells by coordinating the cross-talk between apoptosis and AutophagyCBD induces programmed cell death in breast cancer cells. Mol Cancer Ther. Small, E. Hemp: a new crop with new uses for North America. Stockings E, et al. Evidence for cannabis and cannabinoids for epilepsy: a systematic review of controlled and observational evidence. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. Cannabinoids for the pharmaceutical industry. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Ghana science, technology and innovation policy review. United Nations office on Drugs and Crime. World Drug Report New York; United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Wodak A, Owens R. Drug prohibition: a call for change: Unsw Press; Download references. You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar. RQA conceived, wrote, and edited the manuscript. The author has read and approved the final version of the manuscript. Correspondence to Richard Quansah Amissah. Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. Reprints and permissions. Quansah Amissah, R. J Cannabis Res 4 , 58 Download citation. Received : 18 November Accepted : 22 October Published : 03 November Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:. Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative. Skip to main content. Search all BMC articles Search. Download PDF. Abstract Background Interest in industrial hemp is increasing steadily, as can be seen by the growing number of countries that have either decriminalized industrial hemp or are contemplating its decriminalization. Main body Indigenous cannabis strains in Ghana have high THC to CBD ratios suggesting the need for the government to purchase foreign hemp seeds, considering that the alternative will require significant research into decreasing the THC to CBD ratio of indigenous cannabis strains. Conclusion Considering the challenges associated with the development of other hemp-based products, the availability of resources in the country for exploitation of medicinal hemp, and the potential benefits of hemp-based drugs to Ghanaians, investing in medicinal hemp may be the best option for the government of Ghana. Background Cannabis plants can be classified as Cannabis sativa , Cannabis indica , and Cannabis ruderalis Gloss based on their morphology and chemical composition. Cannabis strains indigenous to Ghana While the law allows accredited companies to apply for hemp cultivation licenses, none has been granted to date Owusu Benefits of medicinal hemp to Ghanaians The hemp plant has many uses. Improving public perception towards medicinal hemp in Ghana The public perception towards cannabis in Ghana is negative since, in a case study published in , it was reported that in Ghana cannabis is mostly associated with prostitution, violence, criminal behavior, and madness Bernstein ; Sensi Seeds Research facilities and infrastructure in Ghana for the exploitation of medicinal hemp To understand how Ghana can benefit from medicinal hemp, it is necessary to examine existing facilities and infrastructure that can be used for testing, extraction, and research on cannabinoids. Independent regulatory bodies for medicinal hemp in Ghana In order to promote and protect public interest with regards to medicinal hemp and its products, regulatory bodies will be essential. Conclusions By focusing on the benefits medicinal hemp can offer and by putting the necessary measures in place to regulate its cultivation and processing, industrial hemp-based drugs could be affordable and excellent alternatives to several less effective drugs. Availability of data and materials Not applicable. References Adhikary D, et al. Article Google Scholar Agyepong M. Google Scholar Akyeampong E. Article Google Scholar Asuni T. Google Scholar Ayuurebobi K, et al. Google Scholar Bruci Z, et al. Article Google Scholar Crowder L. Google Scholar Duval CS. Article Google Scholar Gloss D. Google Scholar Klevor R. Article Google Scholar Livet L. Google Scholar Punja ZK, et al. Google Scholar Stockings E, et al. Google Scholar Download references. Funding None to declare. Ethics declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate Not applicable. Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The author declares no competing interests. About this article. Cite this article Quansah Amissah, R. Copy to clipboard. Contact us Submission enquiries: nikki.

Ghana’s preparedness to exploit the medicinal value of industrial hemp

Ghana buying weed

Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy. For inquiries related to this message please contact our support team and provide the reference ID below.

Ghana buying weed