The journey to decriminalization

Why it is Important for Ghana
All Africa
Friday, June 24, 2016

There is a significant academic debate about decriminalization of marijuana in Ghana, and this has received some degree of political and public support. Some have argued that decriminalization will open a floodgate for drug use in the country, while others do not agree and see it instead as the best way to reduce drug use in the country. In practice, repressive drug laws have neither succeeded in reducing drug consumption nor put traffickers out of their lucrative business. Instead, these laws have only driven and expanded the trade underground. Ghana’s current drug law also lacks proportionality in the sentencing of drug offenses.