SHIMLA: The successive state governments have been playing a "Hide and Seek" on its promise over the legalisation of cannabis cultivation in Himachal Pradesh, which traces the magic "Lord Shiva's Butti of great medicine, cuisine and handicrafts back to over 12000 years.
There has been talks over legalisation of cannabis cultivation in previous regimes as well. The present Sukhu government has been talking about legalising the cannabis for the last two months with a hope to increase the income of the people engaged in its cultivation for domestic and contraband use.
Before the Sukhu government issues the order, it needs to do some soul searching:What about the anti-cannabis drives the HP police is about to launch in the Malana, Tosh, Manikaran, Parbati, Lug, Sainj, Banjar and Seraj valleys and other places in the state?
Will the cannabis cultivators use it only for seeds and medicines or they would use its resin for much prized hashish that fetch them hefty money in international markets?
Second, many people including foreigners have been jailed for both cannabis cultivation and charas or hashish smuggling.
Thousands of youngesters in rural arears and towns in Himachal Pradesh have fallen victims to hashish addiction.
They face huge health and social problems.
Their parents face social stigma: The hash addicts are treated as 'Nashidis' or 'Sulphais' or Bhangis with disdain.
Government needs to address and answers all these questions before it takes the call on legalisation of cannabis cultivation.
What about the cases lodged against the poor villagers over the cultivation of cannabis in the various parts of the state?
As a matter of fact, Cannabis cultivation traces its roots back to over 12,000 years, suggesting it was one of humanity’s oldest cultivated crops.
No doubt, the NDPS Act empowers the states to permit, by general or special order, the cultivation of hemp, only for obtaining fiber or seeds for horticultural and medicinal purposes.
The cultivation of cannabis for industrial purposes such as making industrial hemp or for horticultural use is legal in India.
The National Policy on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances recognizes cannabis as a source of biomass, fiber, and high-value oil. It has played an important role in hill cultures as it is still a source of local handicrafts and diet for villagers.
The Sukhu government formed a panel to explore the possibility of the legal cultivation of cannabis.
Is he under pressure to grow it indoor by some rich traders, thereby keeping a high scope for using hashish for export for making money?
Will the Sukhu government allow farmers in famous locations to grow cannabis for their benefit or not.
He must clear the air over this.
It is the first right of rural people of Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur, Chamba and Parts of Kangra to grow cannabis as crop as it is associated with local handicrafts and diet.
The government says that It would play a significant role in generating revenue for the state besides proving beneficial for the patients because of its medicinal properties and can be used for industrial purpose as well.
However, with the the anti-cannabis drive launched by National Narcotics Control Bureau and HP Police due to prohibition have pushed growers to grow crop in remote and hidden locations in Kullu, Mandi, Shimla and Chamba districts.
The government says that first truly indoor grow operations were founded, out of necessity. "Indoor growing helped avoid law enforcement, opening new possibilities for innovation and technological advancement".
At the same time, indoor cultivators realized they could grow cannabis with increased control, vigor, and specificity.
In some of today's legal states, growers are given a choice between cultivating cannabis indoors or outdoors.
Taking all this in consideration, the Chief Minister in a statement had said that the State Government was cautious about the potential increase in drug use and has formed a five-member committee of MLAs.
The Committee will conduct a thorough study about each and every aspects related to cannabis cultivation in the State.
The committee will visit areas where illegal cultivation of cannabis takes place and submit a report in a month and only on the basis of the report submitted by the committee the Government will take any decision, said the Chief Minister.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has categorically stated that the State Government will consider enacting a law after getting complete information on the use of cannabis leaves and seeds.
The Central Government has also given legal status to the cultivation of cannabis in some districts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
Apart from this, cannabis is also being cultivated in Uttarakhand for industrial use.
Under the NDPS Act, the state has been given the right to cultivate cannabis and transport it.
The State Government would consider all aspects, including regulatory measures and will study other states that have legalized it before making a final call.
Cannabis cultivation has been kept under the legal purview in several states of the country.
The neighbouring state of Uttarakhand has become the first state in the country to legalize cannabis cultivation in the year 2017, while controlled cultivation of cannabis is also being done in some districts of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
Similarly, controlled cultivation of cannabis has been permitted in several European Union countries including Uruguay, Canada, USA, Austria, Belgium and the Czech Republic, added the Chief Minister.
It will be pertinent to mention here that The Parliament of India defined cannabis in the NDPS Act in the year 1985,
Under this a complete ban has been imposed on extracting the resin and flowers from the cannabis plant.
But this law determines the method and extent of cultivation of cannabis for medicinal and scientific purposes. Section 10 (a) (iii) of the Act empowers the states to make rules regarding the cultivation of any cannabis plant, production, possession, transport, consumption, use and purchase and sale, consumption of cannabis (except charas).
