Opinion | Gandaki passed the cannabis law. The harder one comes next
Summary
Gandaki Province has passed Nepal’s first bill licensing cannabis cultivation for medicinal and industrial purposes, but no licence can be issued until rules and standards are drafted. The opinion piece warns that unresolved issues around THC limits, testing labs, processing, and federal law could make the policy difficult to implement.
Key Points
- Gandaki Province Assembly unanimously passed a bill licensing cannabis cultivation for medicinal and industrial purposes, and Province Chief Dilliraj Bhatta authenticated it on August 3.
- The article argues that key details such as THC measurement, sampling protocol, seed certification, and a proper testing laboratory remain unresolved.
- It says the law lacks licensing categories for processing, testing laboratories, and research, while also creating barriers that may exclude small farmers.
- The piece concludes that the province cannot fully realize the economic value of cannabis without amendments to federal law in Kathmandu.
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