Nepalese government to study the cultivation of medical cannabis

Nepal's Finance Minister, Mr Prakash Sharan Mahat, said during the announcement of the budget for fiscal year 2023-24 in Parliament that the government was studying the possibility of growing cannabis for medical purposes.

This news, reported by The Himalayan, follows the plea of Gandaki Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey for the legalization of cannabis and the local manufacture of alcohol.

Pandey suggested that if cannabis had medical value, it should be treated as medicine. He added that hemp cultivation and local alcohol production could be used to stimulate the economy and create jobs, while acknowledging that this would require discussions with central government to put in place appropriate legislation.

«Cannabis is prohibited by federal law. However, it is necessary to have a debate,» he said, «if it can also be used as medicine, we are of the opinion that we should proceed with a new reflection on its cultivation.».

The legalization of cannabis production in Nepal is a subject of great interest. which has been the subject of debate for several years. The country is known for its endemic varieties of cannabis and local products such as charas, considered one of the best hashes in the world.

What is the legal status of cannabis in Nepal?

Although Nepal has been considering legalizing cannabis for some time, it has not yet taken any steps in this direction. Cannabis has been illegal in this Southeast Asian country since 1976, even though it has long been used in Ayurvedic medicine and as a sacred offering to the Hindu god Shiva.

Prior to the 1976 ban, Nepal was home to government-licensed stores on «Freak Street», named after the so-called hippies. At the time, thousands of tourists flocked to get their hands on various types of hashish, which were then shipped back to Europe or the USA.

«It is unjustifiable that a poor country like ours should treat cannabis as a drug, declared last year Nepalese Health Minister Birodh Khatiwada told AFP. «Our people are being punished... and our corruption is increasing because of smuggling, because we are following the decisions of developed countries who only do as they please.»