Himachal eyes pot of gold under grass
The cannabis plant and its many products, such as hemp, ropes and fabric, were part of hill life before a ban was enforced in the 1980s
Sunday, October 1, 2023
For almost 40 years now, cannabis cultivation has been a crime in India. But that has never stopped farmers in parts of Himachal’s Kullu, Chamba, Sirmaur, Shimla, Mandi and Kangra districts. In fact, the premium on quality charas only serves as an incentive for them. But the hush-hush nature of cannabis farming could end if the Himachal government goes through with its plan to legalise the plant for medical and industrial use. The idea isn’t new. In 2018, former Himachal CM Jai Ram Thakur had made a similar announcement. But it was only in April this year that the government brought a resolution to the state assembly to legalise cannabis. The panel headed by Himachal revenue minister Jagat Singh Negi tabled its report in the assembly on September 22, and described legalisation as a ‘game-changer’ for the state.
