In addition to creating jobs and income for HP, growing this grass on deserted stretches of land would be a profitable proposition for the farmers. Since people are cultivating and using it anyway, the argument that it is better to do it officially holds water because it would keep them out of legal trouble and, at the same time, swell the state’s coffers.
Source: Hindustan Times
The long-running conflict between culture and law enforcement over the recreational use of organic substances lies at the core of the issue. There is a chance that cannabis access will increase if it is removed from the strict Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
Studies show a dramatic increase in the number of young people using marijuana in countries throughout the world where it has been legalised, including many states in the US and Mexico. Its negative impact on consumer health, including any physical, mental, or developmental problems linked to marijuana, is alarming. More so is the possibility that cannabis will serve as a gateway drug for more harmful synthetic substances like deadly and addictive heroin.
To ensure that its negative impacts are widely and frequently disseminated, particularly in schools and colleges, policymakers will need to exercise the utmost caution.
Source: Himachal Abhi Abhi
If HP approves cannabis production, it will join the group of states that have softened their stance on the issue. While bhang was taken off the list of intoxicating substances in Gujarat, cannabis production has been legalised in Uttarakhand, and similar laws apply in UP and MP for bhang. This stance is also consistent with the one India adopted at the UN in 2020, when it joined the majority of nations in advocating for the removal of marijuana from the list of the most hazardous synthetic drugs.
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