Decks have been cleared for the controlled legal cultivation of cannabis for non-narcotic use in Himachal with the Cabinet yesterday giving nod to the proposal of the Revenue Department.
The Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu at Dharamsala, has given approval to the plans of the Revenue Department to undertake controlled cannabis cultivation in the state.
At present, some of the states like Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh are undertaking cannabis cultivation, primary for use in the pharma sector for preparing medicines.
Sources said the Cabinet has made the Agriculture Department the nodal agency which will work out the modalities for starting cannabis cultivation.
The Cabinet approved a pilot study on cannabis cultivation to be jointly undertaken by Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur, Kangra district and Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture, Nauni, Solan district.
The Agriculture Department has been given six months time to prepare all the modalities and standard operating procedures (SOP), including the selection of cannabis species which is more suited for use in pharmaceutical sector.
It was on September 22, 2023 that the committee headed by Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi had submitted its report to the state government.
The committee had prepared the report after visiting Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand to obtain first hand experience from experts who were engaged in its cultivation for non-narcotic use.
The committee had recommended cannabis cultivation for industrial and medicinal use under Section 10 and 14 of the NDPA Act.
The state government is hoping to generate an additional revenue of about Rs 500 crore annually.
Cannabis grows naturally in many parts of the states like Kullu-Manali, Mandi, Chamba, Shimla and Sirmaur due to suitable agro-climatic conditions.
However, before the state allows cannabis cultivation there are few other changes that will have to be made, including amendments in the NDPS Act, 1985.
The Agriculture Department will have to create seed banks to provide to the farmers who will be issued licences with seeds having less narcotic content.
Another very important task that the government will have to be very stringent about is having specialised excise staff for regulation and monitoring.
Another major challenge will be to procure hemp seeds with less than 0.3 per cent THC content so that it cannot be used for narcotic use.
Also specialised labs will have to be set up to produce quality seeds, suited for use in medicinal and industrial sector.
Agriculture Dept the nodal agency
The Agriculture Department, the nodal agency, will work out the modalities for starting cannabis cultivation
The department has been given six months to prepare all modalities and standard operating procedures (SOP), including the selection of cannabis species, which are more suited for use in pharmaceutical sector
On September 22, 2023, the committee headed by Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi had submitted its report to the state government. The committee had prepared the report after visiting MP and Uttarakhand