Gandaki Province Chief Dilli Raj Bhatta has authenticated a bill to regulate and utilize cannabis for medicinal and industrial purposes. The bill has been transformed into an act following authentication.
Earlier, on 8th Shrawan, Province Chief Bhatta had returned the bill to the Provincial Assembly for reconsideration, citing inconsistencies with federal law. The Provincial Assembly, in its meeting on 15th Shrawan, passed the bill unanimously without any amendments, sending it back for re-authentication.
According to Section 201 (4) of the Constitution, Province Chief Bhatta authenticated the bill on Monday. This authentication comes after the bill was returned with a message under Section 201 (3) and was passed again without any changes.
The act will come into effect after its publication in the Provincial Gazette. The provincial government believes that the implementation of this act will lay a new foundation for agricultural modernization, employment creation, and export promotion.
Regulations and Provisions
As per the act, only individuals, institutions, or cooperatives that meet the government-set standards and obtain a permit will be allowed to cultivate cannabis. The use of cannabis for recreational purposes is not permitted.
The entire process, from cultivation to processing, storage, transportation, sale, and export, will be regulated by the provincial government’s regulatory mechanism and permit system. Provisions have also been made for the production, storage, and sale of cannabis, including the requirement to inform the relevant agency and the operation of a local monitoring committee.
The act also stipulates that the Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content in the cannabis plant should not exceed 0.3%. Additionally, a provision has been made for a fine of Rs 50,000 to Rs 500,000 for violating the act.
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