The Hemp Kingdom: A contrast of opportunities and culture

Industrial hemp is a versatile, environmentally beneficial and high value crop that should be making a significant contribution to the country’s economy but still remains outlawed.

Hemp, which comes from the cannabis sativa (Latin) species, is the straitlaced cousin of marijuana, which is from the cannabis indica species.

Unfortunately for hemp, being a near-relative and lookalike of marijuana has meant that it has always been tarnished by association.

Hemp is erroneously confounded with marijuana, and many policymakers believe that by legalising hemp they are legalising marijuana, which is not true.

In fact, industrial hemp and marijuana are different breeds of Cannabis sativa; hemp has no value as a recreational drug. Actually smoking large amounts of hemp flowers can produce a significant headache, but not a high.

Canada, Britain, France, Germany, and Spain, along with over 20 other countries, cultivate and process industrial hemp without affecting the enforcement of marijuana laws.

With Ghana facing a foreign exchange crunch within its fiscal challenges, the country may need to move further away from the conservative centre in world affairs.