In response to the growing demand for cannabis cultivation and the worldwide acknowledgment of its medicinal, agricultural, and industrial benefits, the Himachal Pradesh government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, has approved a pilot project for cannabis (hemp) farming. The project aims to explore the potential benefits of cannabis cultivation in the region, with an emphasis on its medicinal and industrial uses.
Key Points:
- Himachal Pradesh has launched a pilot project aimed at the regulated cultivation of cannabis for both medical and industrial uses.
- The project is supported by Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Agriculture University in Palampur and Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture in Nauni, Solan.
- Cannabis, a naturally occurring plant in Himachal Pradesh, is gaining global recognition for its agricultural, medicinal, and industrial benefits.
- Countries like Canada, the United States, Japan, and Australia have recognized the plant’s potential and are leaders in cannabis farming.
- Cannabis is now viewed as a “trillion-dollar crop” due to its multifaceted uses, such as fibre, seeds, and biomass.
- The global cannabis market includes over 25,000 products, and cannabis contains over 100 cannabinoids, including non-psychoactive CBD and psychoactive THC.
- Advocates, like Sant Ram, have campaigned for the revival of cannabis farming, emphasizing its economic and cultural significance.
- Sant Ram criticized the stigma surrounding cannabis, which he believes was influenced by the international liquor lobby.
