Cannabis Cultivation To Become Legal In Himachal As State Assembly Passes Resolution

Shimla: The cultivation of Cannabis, also known as marijuana or weed is set to become legal in Himachal Pradesh after the state assembly passed a resolution in this regard. The adoption of the resolution was made following the recommendations of an Assembly committee report.

The report proposed that cannabis is a potential economic asset if cultivation is done for medicinal and industrial purposes. 

Jagat Singh Negi, Revenue Minister and chairman of the Assembly committee said that an overall consensus was made by the ruling and opposition party. 

"The committee visited all the districts of Himachal Pradesh and consulted local residents on how cannabis cultivation could be used for medicinal and industrial purposes. We also studied the successful models in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh . The overwhelming consensus was in favour of legalising it in Himachal Pradesh," Negi was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. 

Benefits of Cannabis Cultivation

Negi said, “It has great potential for both industrial and medicinal use. The industrial hemp plant will be drug-free, with negligible levels of THC, while the medicinal variety will be tightly controlled, similar to opium cultivation under the NDPS Act."

He also pointed out that industrial cannabis farming would require minimal land, particularly in regions where traditional crops struggle due to water scarcity or animal interference.

"Investors are interested in industrial hemp, and we will ensure strict regulations to manage medicinal cannabis cultivation, following controlled protocols to prevent misuse,” he said. 

According to the World Health Organisation, Cannabis is by far the most widely cultivated, trafficked and abused illicit drug. 

"Half of all drug seizures worldwide are cannabis seizures. The geographical spread of those seizures is also global, covering practically every country of the world. About 147 million people, 2.5% of the world population, consume cannabis (annual prevalence) compared with 0.2% consuming cocaine and 0.2% consuming opiates. In the present decade, cannabis abuse has grown more rapidly than cocaine and opiate abuse,” WHO said.