The Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) is recommending that the nation considers other uses of narcotics such as marijuana.
The Executive Secretary of NACOB, Akrasi Sarpong bemoaned the current practice where cannabis farms in the country are destroyed upon discovery.
He indicated that it is imperative for Ghanaians not to narrow-minded when it comes to the uses of narcotics.
[contextly_sidebar id=”Uf1b8gcWWO40mSTDakZfDUqwOqGRuPG8″]He said: “Let us not close our minds…when we go and burn the farms, sometimes I stand and say that we are actually polluting the environment; we are even creating problems for people who are inhaling it.”
In an interview with Citi News on the sidelines of the 2nd West Africa Executive short course on Human Rights and Drugs Policy at the University of Ghana School of Law, The NACOB boss suggested that there is also the need for the sub-region to consider a holistic debate on the uses of such drugs in attempt to drive a plausible policy on the issue.
“Cannabis continues to be the problem for West Africa; it is the major drug problem for West Africa. When you say open and inclusive debate, we are not talking about internal Ghana open and inclusive debate but in the West African sub-region so that whatever approaches we make within the context of West Africa, within the context of AU will be the correct approach.”
He pointed out that “when Uruguay believed that it was in their national interest to decriminalize marijuana, they looked at it and did it. When the Bolivian President believed that the chewing of coca leaves was in the national interest, they withdrew.”
“What are the issues, what are the alternatives, what are the options? There are commercial benefits so how do we get those benefits?” he asked.
Mr. Sarpong said Ghana’s scientific community must come together to find new uses for it.
He however appealed with the media and civil society to take up the role of educating the populace on how to deal with persons who are on narcotics.
“Addiction is stigmatization so we now use substance use disorder. It’s just like when people say the man is crippled. He is not; he is just physically challenged.”
“We need to debate the drug policy because all these politically correct language arose as a result of advocacy of civil society,” adding that “it’s not enough for media men to cover; there has to be investigative journalism, there has to be articles.”
“Anyone who smokes marijuana is not a sinner more than the liar! That is the scripture and people must face it,” he opined.
By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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