The Head of Greater Accra Regional Narcotics Control Commission, David Adjetey Adjei, has asserted that holding weed without necessarily smoking is a criminal offence under the laws of Ghana.
Popularly known as weed, Ganja, or Marijuana, Cannabis remains one of the most popular illegal drugs in Ghana. There are many ways of using marijuana, and each one affects users differently. Marijuana can be rolled up and smoked like a cigarette (a joint) or a cigar (a blunt).
Marijuana can also be smoked in a pipe. Sometimes people mix it in food and eat it or brew it as tea (edibles). Either way, Marijuana, if consumed, is highly addictive. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main psychoactive compound in cannabis that produces a high sensation.
In an interview on TV3’s New Day with Berla Mundi, Mr Adjei shed light on the law governing narcotics control in the country.
“If you possess weed and you are not even smoking or using it, it’s an offence. The law prohibits the possession of any narcotic drug. The mere fact that you are holding it is an offence. The reason for you holding it may be asked later. It’s a secondary matter. The fact that you are holding it means you have offended the law and you can be put in jail’’, he explained.
He said persons found with any narcotic drug, particularly Marijuana, could face a possible jail term between two and five years.
Meanwhile, Mr Adjei has mentioned unemployment as one of the factors that lead people to use and/or abuse drugs in Ghana.
Story by: Prince Nartey
