India: Maneka Gandhi suggests legalizing medical cannabis

Maneka Gandhi, India's Minister of Women and Child Development, has proposed legalizing the cannabis for medical purposes during a meeting with Indian ministerial delegations, according to local media FirstPost,

In her proposal, she refers directly to the 23 U.S. states that have legalized medical cannabis, explaining that drug abuse has decreased in those states since regulation was implemented. «We may see the same results here in India. Medical cannabis should be legal insofar as it provides an effective treatment.” »for cancer patients," she said.

A Review of India's Drug Policy

At this meeting, which was chaired by Interior Minister Rajnath Singh, the ministers reviewed a memo containing the draft bill on drugs in India. In addition to cannabis On the medical front, Maneka Gandhi also emphasized the need to regulate the sale and availability of pharmaceutical drugs such as codeine syrups and inhalers.

In addition, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked his ministers to review the draft policy on reducing drug demand in order to find solutions to the country’s ongoing drug addiction problems.

Among the proposed solutions, the Minister for Women suggested establishing addiction treatment centers near the country’s major train stations. She also proposed an action plan and drug abuse prevention sessions in Indian middle schools, high schools, and universities.

At a previous meeting, the ministers had proposed the development of an action plan aimed at regulating the sale of painkillers, sedatives, and muscle relaxants. They also called for treatment centers for all drug addicts in the country.

Mehdi Bautier