By Adekola Afolabi

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Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has charged Pharmacists in the country to conduct an in-depth research into uses of Cannabis for medicinal purposes.
Akeredolu also declared that the Sunshine State would champion the Green Oil’ revolution, adding that his administration has embarked on red oil project which deals directly with palm oil.
The Governor spoke at the 40th Anniversary and the 2021 National Scientific Conference of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), held in Abeokuta, Ogun State .
Theme of the Conference is, “Abuja Declaration: Equipping Community Pharmacists for Universal Health Coverage”. Renowned pharmacists within and outside the country attended the event.
At the Conference, the body of Pharmacists made case for regulated cannabis cultivation in the country for medicinal and industrial use.
According to them, controlled and regulated cultivation of cannabis would not only benefit humanity but ensure national development.
Governor Akeredolu who was the Special Guest at the event said since Pharmacists have been working on herbs, more in-depth research into cannabis for medicinal purposes was one of the pathways to the controlled cultivation.
He declared that Ondo State will be ready to be the pilot state for the green oil revolution and the control cultivation of cannabis for medicinal purposes.
He explained that if legalized, the abused usage and circulation of cannabis in the black market will drop drastically.
The Governor stressed that Nigeria is already left behind in the huge revenue generated from the Cannabis Sativa, saying it is wasted
resources.
”In Ogbese, we can have a farm where NDLEA will be in charge. Nobody can take it out to smoke. From there, it gets to you for medicinal purposes.
“Pharmacists have been working on herbs, you can research on this too. It’s one of the pathways to the controlled cultivation. We should not be left behind. We have started to champion the issue of red oil that has to do with palm oil. We will champion the green oil too in Ondo state”, the Governor added.
Governor Akeredolu who said he had visited Thailand in company of the then NDLEA Chairman, stated that he saw how the processes were driven by the various important institutions in the country.
“My journey on this path cannot be severe from my meeting with Prof. Alex. We are looking to pathway of cultivating cannabis for medicinal purposes, saying that . it can be achieved. I have visited Thailand with the then chairman of NDLEA. We were at all important institutions. We went through all the proceeds of cultivating it for medicinal purposes. We saw it by ourselves, ”he said.
Delivering his paper at the event, a Guest Lecturer, Professor Alex MacGregor, President, Toronto Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology, said legalizing cannabis means “we reduce contact with that environment and the opportunity to engage other types of substance use”.
Earlier, Pharmacist Nonso Maduka, disclosed that Nigeria should allow a pilot situation having in mind cannabis still has industrial and export value
Other speakers also threw their weight behind controlled and regulated cultivation of cannabis for industrial use and economic benefit in the country.
In his remarks, the National Chairman of Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, Dr Samuel Adekola charged his colleagues against being indifferent to issues of drug certification, management and control in the country.
The Chairman said a number of bills are at different stages in the National Assembly on the legalization of Cannabis for Medicinal use in Nigeria and as such ACPN must not sit at the back bench while the political class take decisions on what pharmacists would eventually implement.