Legalising cannabis cultivation — the dilemma remains
Despite efforts to contain the illegal trade, some hash from the exotic valleys of Kullu-Manali finds its way into the international market
Saturday, November 17, 2018
Faced with a surge to remove medicinal marijuana from the list of banned drugs and permit cannabis cultivation has the Himachal Government in a catch-22 situation. Some of the world’s finest hash strains are grown in the state and the government is pushing back hard to contain the illegal trade. Spearheading the demand for a policy to permit cannabis cultivation is Maheshwar Singh, the scion of Kullu royal family. “Views about medicinal uses of marijuana are changing globally,” he says, adding: “It’s about time India, too, revisits the law.” Kullu MLA Sunder Singh Thakur went public on with the matter recently: “A policy change about legal cannabis cultivation for therapeutic purposes will boost tourism and turn the state into a wellness hub.” (See also: Govt goes back on cannabis cultivation decision)
