Ghana has legalized the use of Indian Hemp for health and industrial purposes as it joins other African countries hoping to derive economic and health benefits from the substance.

On Friday the country’s Parliament passed into law the Narcotics Control Commission Bill, 2019.

The law now makes the country’s Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) a Commission with enhanced powers to oversee the industrial use of some narcotic substances.

The Commission, however, will have the mandate to control and eliminate the trafficking of prohibited narcotic drugs to ensure public safety.

Health experts have always campaigned for addicts of narcotic drugs to be properly rehabilitated and not treated as criminals.

The new law makes provision for that as well now classifying drug abuse a public health issue.

With the legalization of Cannabis for industrial and health purposes, Ghana joins countries like Malawi, Zimbabwe and South Africa who are changing their laws on narcotics.

Ghana’s new laws will make room for cannabis to be used to make medicines and hemp fibres.

Hemp fibres are used to make clothes, biofuel, paper and other products.

Ghana is hoping to rake in some revenue as well when the industrial production of cannabis begins.