28-Jan-2022 | Market Research Store
The Food and Drugs Authority has not officially referred any cannabis-containing product for industrial or clinical utilization in Ghana, and the public must report for any case of selling or associated activity of any unregistered product with the FDA.
This release is in reaction to the Ghana News Agency for publishing an article on January 5, 2020, with a headline "Medicinal marijuana, effective painkiller for chronic pain- Biochemist".
However, in a statement copied to the news agency, the FDA said, "The attention of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has been drawn to a media post circulating within the public domain by a biochemist, Dr. George Cobla, purported to be affiliated with the FDA.
"The FDA would like to bring to the attention of the public that, Dr. George Cobla is neither a staff of the institution nor has he been authorized to represent the FDA in this regard".
It said "The use of cannabis for medical and industrial purposes is legal in Ghana in accordance with the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851) and the Narcotics Control Commission (NCC) Act, 2020 (Act 1019).
The FDA, therefore, regulates the importation and distribution of cannabis-containing products (e.g., cannabinoid oils, CBD capsules, etc.) and cosmetics (e.g., hemp creams/oils) in line with the Public Health Act 2012 (Act 851)."
However, Dr. Cobla also said, categorically he has not responded or granted any interview to a Ghana reporter.
In a release, the news agency made an apology to both the management and staff of FDA along with Dr. Cobla for the inconvenience caused due to the published article. However, the news agency has pulled down that story from its website effectively.
What is Cannabis?
Cannabis is a group of plants containing three categories named Cannabis ruderalis, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis sativa. The flowers of these plants are harvested and later dried. The mixture one gets is referred to as cannabis; however, some call it weed, pot, or marijuana.
As the drug is becoming more popular in the world and steadily, certain governments are legalizing some medical utilization, more and more people are using cannabis with a different name.
Are marijuana and cannabis the same?
Today people are using marijuana and cannabis terms interchangeably, but in particular, they don't mean the same thing. The cannabis plant is composed of more than 540 chemical substances. In contrast, marijuana refers to products from the plant Cannabis sativa that comprise a certain amount of tetrahydrocannabinol THC. THC is an ingredient that is responsible for the impact of marijuana on human mental states.
How do cannabinoids work?
The human body produces some cannabinoids naturally with the help of the endocannabinoid system. They function similarly to neurotransmitters that communicate to the nervous system. However, these transmitters impact brain areas that work in different dimensions like time perception, coordination, movement, concentration, thinking, pleasure, and memory. The receptors responding to these cannabinoids also react to THC and other associated cannabinoids. However, in this way, cannabinoids from external sources can also modify, disrupt, or change normal brain functioning.
THC is likely to affect the different areas of the brain that control reaction time, help in coordination posture, balance, and improve or downgrade memory and attention.