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Medical activists want cannabis law relaxed

04 Jan 2021

By Sumudu Chamara    A group of indigenous medical activists has called for the relaxation of local laws pertaining to cannabis in light of the decision taken by the United Nations Commission on Narcotics Drugs (CND) to remove cannabis from Schedule IV of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. They added that the Government must pay attention to this matter, taking into account the astronomical number of benefits of cannabis, especially medical and economic benefits of the controlled cultivation of cannabis. “We are planning on discussing this matter with the Government and raising awareness among parliamentarians who are willing to support this endeavour in a bid to draw the Government’s attention to relaxing the laws banning the cultivation and use of cannabis. Not only the medical community, the  public would also benefit from it,” former Ayurvedic Medical Council of Sri Lanka Registrar and Advisor for the Samastha Lanka Indigenous Medical Association Danister L. Perera told The Morning yesterday (3). He added that only a small part of a cannabis plant could be used for recreational purposes. “It has been scientifically and medically proven that only certain parts of the cannabis plant, especially its resin, can be used for recreational purposes, and other parts of this plant can be used to manufacture a number of various other products that will benefit the general public.” He went on to say that cannabis could be cultivated very easily in Sri Lanka. According to Perera, even though discussions have been conducted in this regard for many years, so far they have not received a positive response from the relevant authorities. He said that existing restrictions on cannabis, imposed by the British in 1929 in Sri Lanka, are outdated and that many countries across the world have lifted such archaic bans and moved forward. Perera also stressed that the benefits of the cannabis plant will outweigh potential harms caused by the recreational use of cannabis, if cannabis cultivation is done properly. In 2001, Canada legalised the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes, becoming the first country in the world to do so. To date, more than 50 countries have permitted the medicinal use of cannabis, while several other countries and a number of US States have legalised the recreational use of cannabis. When it comes to Sri Lankan laws and policies concerning cannabis, several governments including the present one have paid attention to this matter to a certain extent. In 2018, former Minister of Health Dr. Rajitha Senaratne announced plans to allow the cultivation of cannabis for medicinal purposes and for export purposes. Incumbent Minister of Trade Dr. Bandula Gunawardena also emphasised the importance of growing cannabis in a controlled environment for export purposes. However, none of these plans have materialised.


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