Nepal proposes to legalize cannabis cultivation and consumption

The ruling Communist Party in Nepal has filed on Sunday a motion calling on the government to end the ban on cannabis and to ban the importation of alcohol.

The motion, led by lawmaker Birodh Khatiwada and signed by 45 other members of Parliament, notes that more than 65 countries—many of which pushed for the prohibition of cannabis through international treaties in the 1970s—, have already legalized or decriminalized the plant in one form or another.

He said that the mountainous terrain of the Himalayan country is suitable for growing the crop and that allowing farmers to grow it would greatly benefit the poor.

«The legalization of cannabis will help poor farmers, and since most of the Western world, which was the main driving force behind prohibition in the first place, », has already lifted the ban; Nepal should also lift the ban,« Khatiwada said. »Cannabis has many uses. It also helps generate foreign currency and produce medicines."

Nepal was one of the few countries to resist the United States and the international community’s campaigns to criminalize cannabis use worldwide. In fact, Nepal had a thriving cannabis industry long before the United States, with licensed cannabis stores, official cultivation, and public consumption areas until 1973, when commercial licenses were revoked under international pressure.

Nepal has banned cannabis in 1976 with his Narcotics (Drugs) Control Act. Consumers face one month in prison, while traffickers face up to 10 years.

The country also did not adopt the 1961 Single Convention of the United Nations until 1988, with a special exemption so that it can continue to issue temporary permits for the cultivation, processing, and «non-medical» cultivation and sale of cannabis. Since the exemption has no expiration date, it is technically still in effect.

«Nepal was the last country to advocate for the medicinal benefits of cannabis on the international stage,» said declared Last year, Rajiv Kafle, a Nepalese cannabis activist and HIV patient, told the Kathmandu Post, «Since no one objected to Nepal’s reservation, the World Health Organization should have conducted a review to examine our claims.»

If Nepal legalizes it, the country will join the Thailand is following suit in its move toward legalizing cannabis. However, the proposal must be debated in Parliament before any changes can be made to existing laws.

Nepal has been known for its cannabis since the 1960s, when it was a must-visit destination for hippies. Although it is still illegal, it is consumed quite openly during the festival of the Hindu god Shiva, which will take place on February 21, 2020.