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Is the narrative changing for cannabis in Sri Lanka? 

14 Aug 2021

It has recently come to light that there is a large and ever-growing community of cannabis users in Sri Lanka and since the pandemic, many of them have congregated online. There are dedicated social media pages that engage in continuous and often educational discourse on the use of cannabis. However, despite the progressive movements courtesy of the recreational users of the plant, and also various research and even medical professionals who have made a case in favour of the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes, it remains illegal in the island. This is governed under the Poisons, Opium, and Dangerous Drugs Act, which, under Chapter III Section 27: Prohibition against cultivation of poppy, states: “No person shall, without the licence of the Minister, sow, plant, cultivate, obtain, or have in his possession any poppy plant, coca plant, or hemp plant, or collect or have in his possession the seeds, pods, leaves, flowers, or any part of any such plant.” The law, under Section 296: Prohibition against possession, use of any preparation from the hemp plant, poppy plant or the coca plant, also states: “Except as provided for in Chapters IV and V hereafter, no person shall collect, prepare, process, sell or offer for sale, manufacture, store, obtain or have in his possession, distribute, or use (a) any resin obtained from the hemp plant for the preparations or extracts from the hemp plant commonly known as bhang, hashish, or ganja, or any other preparation of which such resin forms a part.” However, according to former Ayurvedic Medical Council Sri Lanka Registrar Dr. Danister L. Perera, with regards to opium, there is a legal process to acquire it for use in Ayurveda medicine, and Ayurveda practitioners can register and acquire a licence to use it. This does not, however, apply to cannabis.   He said that there is no such licence issued and that the way of acquiring cannabis for medicinal purposes is by making a request at the Sri Lanka Ayurvedic Drugs Corporation. “We must produce the formula we are using, which will be taken from the Ayurveda pharmacopoeia and the cannabis that is issued to us will be mixed with those herbs,” he said, adding that pure cannabis is not issued to Ayurvedic doctors.  However, Dr. Perera stated that this cannabis is often stale or has been stored for too long, and is therefore not the potent medication they require, which is the primary reason why the Ayurveda medical community is in favour of the legalisation of medical cannabis. He noted that the Government made a proposal several years ago that it would be legalising cannabis cultivation for medical purposes, to be used exclusively for Ayurvedic practitioners in the country. Dr. Perera further noted that former Minister of Health, Nutrition, and Indigenous Medicine Dr. Rajitha Senaratne stated this would be put into practice; however, it is a long process and has yet to be put in motion, or even brought back up in conversation since then.  Cannabis and its medicinal properties  Dr. Perera stated that it is important to note how medical practitioners differentiate the use of medicinal cannabis from that of the recreational one, as they never recommend the smoking of cannabis, and that in Ayurveda, it is used as a “polyherbal” ingredient, meaning it is always mixed with a number of other ingredients to create a supplement for any ailment.  He shared that cannabis has been used in Ayurveda medicine for thousands of years, often used to treat neurological ailments and even to treat infants – this is the formula used in “Suranvidura”, which is used to treat worms in the stomach. However, he stated that it is important to emphasise that, in medicine, cannabis is used after “purification”, and that research has indicated that after this process, the cannabis has a far less THC value; THC being the element that creates the narcotic effect of cannabis. Following this purification, he said that cannabis becomes a far more potent medication.  He also noted that in Ayurveda, they often utilise the seeds and leaves of the kansa plant. Meanwhile, THC is an active ingredient that manifests in the flower resin, which is never used for medicine. He also noted that in addition to the seeds and the leaves, there’s also cannabidiol (CBD), which belongs to the cannabinoid group, and unlike THC, CBD is not an intoxicant. He said it is incredibly versatile and useful and is often available over the counter in many countries. Dr. Perera added that in growing cannabis, the Asian variant is particularly potent in its medicinal properties and that the Sri Lankan soil is ideal for its healthy growth.  Arguments for cannabis Speaking with former University of Rajarata Lecturer and Doctor of Natural Sciences Dr. Wasantha Sena Weliange, he shared with us that there are only benefits to be had in legalising the use of cannabis.  He noted: “There is no chemical in cannabis that is addictive – it is scientifically proven. We know that cigarettes have the chemical nicotine, which is addictive.” He said: “In Sri Lanka, the narrative is that cannabis consumers are only doing it to get intoxicated, therefore we are only talking about its purpose of getting high. But kansa is so much more than just its recreational purposes.” He added: “You can eat the kansa seeds and the hemp parts are rich in proteins, carbohydrates, dietary fibres, omega 3 fatty acids, etc.”  He said that the kansa plant and hemp, which is drawn from it, have been used in the past for the making of clothing, and its stem, combined with a binding agent, is used to make stronger items like flooring and plywood. He said these uses are making a resurgence, and people are once again reviving these uses from the plant, as an alternative for synthetic fibres, etc. He said that while the multiple uses of the plant is undisputed, even in its properties as something you smoke, the narrative is that it is not harmful. “In countries like Canada, Europe, and Italy, they have cannabis outlets; those governments would not give this opportunity to sellers if it is bad for you, right? These decisions were made after extensive scientific research; governments don’t endorse these things without any substantial evidence,” he said.  He shared: “Smoking is not dangerous in the case of kansa. Whichever way you consume it – by smoking or by eating it – it is not harmful to your body. So why not take advantage of something so useful?” Artificial narratives and cannabis Dr. Weliange stated that this narrative that “KG, which is the weed brought from India, contains harmful chemicals, is a false narrative. It has not been proven anywhere that this is fact”, referring to the fact that it's popularly believed that KG is laced with harmful chemicals. He said that the weed from India, called KG, that is Kerala Grass, has a more potent effect on smokers as it contains a higher content of THC, therefore it is a lot stronger than what is grown here. However, the fact that it is mixed with harmful chemicals, he said, is just propaganda. “It could be propaganda that is promoted by the cigarette industry or those who sell alcohol and those parties against the legalisation,” he said. He shared that many of the beliefs around the use of cannabis have since been debunked. “They used to say cannabis was a gateway drug; it is incorrect, and we can confirm that cannabis users are less likely to consume other harmful narcotics,” he said. Despite this, however, President of the College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka (CCPSL), the apex professional body for the practice of public health in Sri Lanka, and Institute for Research and Development Deputy Director Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe shares a different view.  Arguments against cannabis Dr. Abeysinghe stated: “Cannabis or marijuana is an addictive substance that leads to many negative consequences to public health. Addictions reduce productivity and wellbeing of the individuals, reduce the quality of inter-human relationships, incur costs on households and healthcare systems, and burden communities and society with direct anti-social impacts such as thefts, violence, and poverty.” He added: “In the recent past, tobacco and pharmaceutical industries’ interests on cannabis had led to a well-funded global lobbying movement for its legalisation. As tobacco is going out of popularity, the tobacco industry is searching for an alternative and many major tobacco companies have now invested in the cannabis trade. For them, it’s simply replacing one leaf by the other in their supply and manufacturing processes.” Alcohol and Drug Information Centre (ADIC) Director – Human Development and Administration Sampath De Seram also shared that a popular narrative is the economic aspect of the use of cannabis. However, most plants pose multiple uses, as that is the nature of plants and trees. He stated that lobbyists exaggerate the cannabis plant and its uses, presenting it as a miracle substance, in order to win favour. De Seram stated that many of the facts and figures used by those in the camp of legalising the use of cannabis are from prior to 2018. However, since then, the industry around cannabis has been facing a slow collapse.  He shared that medical professionals have said time and time again that it is not risk-free; just because some chemical in a substance has some effect in treating an illness does not mean that recreational use of this substance should be allowed to be promoted. For example, extracts of the poppy plant and its chemical derivatives are widely used as pain-relieving medicines around the world; but this does not mean that heroin, which is also derived from the same plant, should be promoted for recreational use by entire populations. Similarly, the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA)  has also publicly denounced these attempts to legalise cannabis cultivation in Sri Lanka, stating: “There are many health harms of cannabis including mental disorders such as depression and schizophrenia, cannabis use disorders, and serious lung ailments. It also affects the brain development of adolescents. It has also been associated with self-harm and suicide as well as road traffic accidents which already are major killers in Sri Lanka.” The SLMA has even issued a statement requesting the Government of Sri Lanka to take all steps to reduce the consumption of cannabis in Sri Lanka, and not allow the relaxation of measures currently in place to do so, while also requesting that the laws prohibiting the promotion of banned substances be applied to social media and other promoters of cannabis, “who are working overtime to promote cannabis use”, which would affect the numerous social media platforms that have come up centring cannabis and its uses. 

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Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!


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