The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has strengthened its collaboration with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to advance research, innovation and sustainable cultivation of cannabis with a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of not more than 0.3 per cent.

The partnership seeks to support the development of industrial and medicinal applications of low-THC cannabis, commonly referred to as hemp, while ensuring strict regulatory oversight to prevent abuse and diversion.

The Director-General of NACOC, Major General Maxwell Obuba Mantey, said the Commission would strictly enforce the regulatory framework governing the cultivation and use of cannabis within the permitted 0.3 per cent THC threshold.

He said the objective was to enable Ghana to derive the maximum economic, industrial, medicinal and social benefits from the regulated cannabis sector without compromising public health and safety.

Major General Mantey made the remarks during a meeting between the management of NACOC and CSIR, where discussions centred on areas of collaboration, particularly scientific research into the medicinal and industrial derivatives of low-THC cannabis.

He said the importance of scientific evidence and technical expertise in developing Ghana’s cannabis industry, noting that effective regulation must be underpinned by research, reliable laboratory testing and robust traceability systems.

According to him, NACOC’s regulatory mandate extends beyond licensing cultivation to ensuring that the entire value chain, from seed selection and cultivation to processing and end use, is properly monitored and regulated.

The Director of the CSIR-Institute of Industrial Research (CSIR-IIR), Dr Francis Boateng Agyeinim, commended NACOC for taking steps to regulate cannabis for industrial and medicinal purposes.

He said the development of a regulated hemp industry presented significant opportunities for Ghana, particularly in agriculture, manufacturing, medicine and other emerging industries.

Dr Agyeinim identified farm traceability as an important component of the regulatory process and indicated that CSIR had the technical expertise to support NACOC in developing effective systems to track licensed farms and their produce.

He explained that CSIR had conducted extensive research into hemp and its derivatives and was prepared to contribute its scientific knowledge and technical capacity to the development of the sector.

He further highlighted the potential of Ghanaian soils to support the cultivation of hemp with high fibre content, which could provide raw materials for a range of industrial applications.

According to him, hemp fibre could potentially serve as an alternative material for plastic packaging and could also be explored in the production of sanitary products, among other applications.

Under the proposed collaboration, NACOC and CSIR will explore several areas, including the establishment of model greenhouse farms to demonstrate best practices in low-THC cannabis cultivation.

The partnership will also focus on the production and assessment of suitable seedlings, as well as comprehensive soil testing to determine the soil types and geographical locations best suited for cultivating cannabis within the 0.3 per cent THC threshold.

Laboratory testing and scientific research will constitute another key component of the collaboration. The two institutions are expected to examine the properties, applications and potential medicinal and industrial derivatives of hemp.

The partnership will also provide technical guidance to farmers, regulators and other stakeholders across the cannabis value chain.

The initiative is expected to strengthen local scientific and technical capacity while providing evidence-based guidance for Ghana’s emerging regulated cannabis industry.

NACOC and CSIR will work together to ensure that research and cultivation activities comply with Ghana’s regulatory requirements, including measures to maintain the permitted THC threshold and prevent the diversion of regulated cannabis into illicit markets.

The collaboration forms part of broader efforts to position Ghana to harness the economic, industrial and medicinal potential of regulated cannabis while maintaining strong safeguards for public health, safety and national security.