Episode 115: Karma Koala Podcast 322: Kwasi Anokye – Paper – Rastafari Sacramental Use The Limits of Legalization (2025) – “Baffling Smoke Signal”

About this episode

Kwasi Anokye discusses the legal history of cannabis and the implications of legalization for spiritual users.

I came across Kwasi's paper i knew i had to speak to him about a hidden legal history and the changes in approaches to engendering change through the courts in common law countries We also get to talk about Mr Tosh and the changes in language since the 1970's and how legal language is struggling to keep up. Anokye's research draws heavily on African legal history, focusing on landmark decisions like Ghana's historic Nyameneba v. The Republic case. In that case, the court recognized a distinct worldview where cannabis is revered as the "herbs of life" —not a criminal drug. Anokye warns that when a government simply "legalizes" cannabis for commercial gain, it leaves spiritual users vulnerable. True freedom requires the state to fully step back and dismantle the colonial laws that banned the plant in the first place. ⁠https://cannabislaw.report/karma-koala-podcast-322-kwasi-anokye-paper-rastafari-sacramental-use-the-limits-of-legalization-2025/⁠

People in this episode

Host: Karma Koala Podcast

Guest: Kwasi Anokye

Topics covered

• cannabis legalization
• African legal history
• spiritual use of cannabis
• colonial laws
• court cases

Keywords

• cannabis
• legalization
• Rastafari
• African law
• spiritual use
• colonialism
• court cases

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Nyameneba v. The Republic

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