We were not consulted before Parliament legalised cannabis for industrial use - Mental Health Authority

Chief Executive Officer for the Mental Health Authority, Dr. Akwasi Osei has said they were not consulted before the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes law was passed.

He made this known on the Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm Monday, March 23, 2020.

"We were not consulted before the bill was passed. This troubling and unfortunate. When you see the MPs, tell them I say the passage was a terrible thing for the country. We would blame them for any negative impact of this passage,” he said.

Ghana has legalised the use of cannabis for health and industrial purposes.

This is after Parliament passed the Narcotics Control Commission Bill, 2019 on Friday (March 20, 2020).

The law empowers the Minister for Interior to grant licences for the cultivation of cannabis of not more than 0.3 percent THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis that gives the users a high sensation, for industrial and medicinal purposes.

Per the law, makes the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) has been made a Commission with enhanced powers to oversee the industrial use of some narcotic substances.

But Dr. Akwasi Osei believes the passage would have serious health implications for the country.

He lamented the passage would cause more harm than good for the country.

He hinted he would write to the president to reject the law by refusing to accent his signature to it.

"I am currently writing a letter to the president to asks him to reject the law. He should not accent his signature to the law. It is dangerous and in five years, we will regret passing this law.”