NACOC cautions: Deal directly with us to prevent encounters with fake cannabis licence brokers

The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has issued a warning to the public to be cautious of fraudulent individuals claiming to act as agents or intermediaries in obtaining cannabis cultivation licences.

In a statement released on Monday, September 1, 2025, NACOC emphasized that it has not authorized or accredited any person, group, or organization to facilitate or broker the acquisition or issuance of cannabis licences.

The Commission instructs prospective applicants to liaise directly with its office when the formal application process commences, emphasizing that no payments should be made to individuals purporting to be consultants or agents.

NACOC’s warning is issued as Ghana prepares to introduce a regulated industry for cultivating cannabis with low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content, exclusively for industrial and medicinal purposes.

According to the statement, the public is advised to exercise patience and allow Parliament to complete its work on the procedures for acquiring a cannabis licence and to pass the relevant bill.

The legal framework for the new industry is rooted in Section 43 of the Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019), as amended by Act 1100 in 2023, which empowers the Minister for the Interior to grant licences for cannabis cultivation with THC levels not exceeding 0.3% on a dry weight basis. Recreational use remains strictly prohibited.

NACOC further indicated that it has established policies under the Narcotics Control Commission (Cultivation and Management of Cannabis) Regulations, 2023 (L.I. 2475) to guide a “transparent, fair, and robust cannabis regulatory regime.” Until the framework is fully operational, NACOC reminded the public that the possession, use, cultivation, sale, and trafficking of cannabis and other narcotic drugs remain illegal.