Kathmandu, August 21
Finance Minister Dr Swarnim Wagle has said the Ministry of Finance is ready to facilitate cannabis cultivation if it is regulated in accordance with the law.
Wagle made the statement during a question-and-answer session in the National Assembly on Friday.
National Assembly member Bishnukumari Sapkota had asked about the government’s plans for cannabis cultivation, noting that many countries have legalised cannabis and are using the plant for various purposes.
Responding to the question, Wagle said cannabis production and marketing was not simply a matter of income, employment and potential government revenue, but also involved controlled use for medicinal and narcotic purposes.
He said the matter required expert study and appropriate legislation.
“If the matter is studied and determined by relevant experts and is regulated in accordance with the law, the Ministry of Finance will be ready to facilitate it,” Wagle said.
The debate over legalising cannabis cultivation in Nepal has increasingly focused on its potential economic benefits, medicinal uses and the possibility of increasing farmers’ incomes.
Cannabis cultivation has been prohibited in Nepal under the Narcotic Drugs (Control) Act. However, calls for legalising cultivation for medicinal and industrial purposes have increased in recent years.
Sapkota said different parts of the cannabis plant are considered useful in both Ayurvedic and modern medicine.
“Valuable medicines can be produced from it. Fibre from cannabis can also be used to make clothes, paper and ropes,” she said.
In a supplementary question, Sapkota recalled that although the Narcotic Drugs (Control) Act 2033 BS prohibits cannabis cultivation, it contains provisions related to medicinal production. She also pointed out that Gandaki Province has already introduced legislation related to cannabis and asked when the federal government would enact a similar law.
Wagle said several Western and developed countries were also moving towards legalising cannabis for medicinal purposes.
“Legalisation for medicinal purposes is reasonable. Western and developed countries, under whose pressure we criminalised it here decades ago, are now moving towards greater openness,” he said. “In this context, we should also move forward positively on this issue.”
Wagle clarified that cannabis cultivation had not been specifically addressed in the current fiscal year’s budget.
He also said the issue primarily falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
According to Wagle, the Finance Ministry would take a positive approach if further study and consultation with the Home Ministry leads to a decision to establish a legal framework for regulated cannabis cultivation.
He also expressed commitment to discuss the matter with the Home Ministry and work towards a conclusion on the issue.
