Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has strengthened cooperation with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to advance research, innovation and sustainable cultivation of cannabis containing no more than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol. This concerns low-THC cannabis, referred to in the source as hemp. MyJoyOnline reports.
Control over THC content
The partnership is intended to support industrial and medical uses of low-THC cannabis under strict regulatory oversight designed to prevent abuse and the diversion of regulated products to the illegal market.
NACOC Director-General Major General Maxwell Obuba Mantey said that the commission would strictly oversee compliance with rules for cultivating and using cannabis within the 0.3% THC threshold. According to him, NACOC’s mandate covers not only cultivation licensing but also oversight of the entire production chain — from seed selection and cultivation to processing and final use.
Mantey also stressed the need for scientific research, reliable laboratory testing and traceability systems to regulate the sector effectively.
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Greenhouses and soil research
The parties plan to explore the possibility of establishing model greenhouse farms to demonstrate best practices for cultivating low-THC cannabis. The cooperation also includes the production and assessment of suitable planting material, as well as comprehensive soil analyses to identify land types and areas best suited for such crops.
Francis Boateng Agyenim, director of CSIR’s Institute of Industrial Research, said that the institution has experience in researching hemp and its derivatives and is ready to provide scientific and technical support. He described farm traceability as an important element of oversight and said that CSIR could help establish systems for monitoring licensed farms and their products.
Potential industrial applications
Agyenim said that Ghana’s soils may be suitable for growing high-fibre hemp. Such fibre could potentially become a raw material for various industrial applications, including an alternative to plastic for packaging and a material for sanitary and hygiene products.
NACOC and CSIR are to study the properties, applications, and possible medical and industrial derivatives of low-THC cannabis. The partnership also provides for technical guidance for farmers, regulators and other participants in the production chain.
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