Himachal government may allow cannabis cultivation :

1. With several countries like Canada, Israel and Malaysia approaching Himachal Pradesh to provide high quality cannabis extract for use in pharma and hemp industry, the demand for allowing its controlled cultivation may gain ground.

2. Although successive governments have chosen to tread cautiously on the issue, there have been demands even in the past to allow its controlled cultivation with there being a huge demand from the pharma sector.

3. The issue has come alive once again with ambassadors and high commissioners of many countries evincing interest in high quality cannabis extract, which grows in abundance in Kullu, Mandi and other parts of the state.

4. The diplomats have conveyed that the quality of hemp from cannabis in HP is of a far higher quality than that from Uttarakhand, for which there is a huge international market.

5. It is with an eye on attracting big investments that the state government held interaction with representatives of almost 100 countries in Delhi ahead of the Global Investors Meet, scheduled to be held at Dharamsala on November 8-9.

6. The demand to provide cannabis extract has come in from ambassadors of some countries, who claim that medicines prepared from it are beneficial for treating cancer and diabetes.

7. While Uttarakhand has already notified a policy in that regard, the issue was yet to be taken up in Himachal.

8. Police have been undertaking campaigns to destroy cannabis and poppy plants besides launching awareness campaigns, but that alone cannot contain the problem which is assuming alarming proportions. The need to go for high return cash crops to wean locals away from drug trade.

9. Allowing controlled cultivation of cannabis so that it can bring economic returns to the locals. They have traditionally been using hemp to make ropes, pullas (footwear) and in local cuisine.

10. Grappling with the problem of cultivation and trafficking of narcotic substances and tourist centres like Kullu-Manali, Dharamsala-McLeodganj and Shimla emerging as major drug centres, the multi-pronged strategy to contain the menace has failed to yield results. 

About Cannabis :

Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the Cannabis plant used for medical or recreational purposes. The main psychoactive part of cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), one of the 483 known compounds in the plant, including at least 65 other cannabinoids. Cannabis can be used by smoking, vaporizing, within food, or as an extract.

Cannabis has mental and physical effects, such as creating a "high" or "stoned" feeling, a general change in perception, heightened mood, and an increase in appetite. Onset of effects is felt within minutes when smoked, and about 30 to 60 minutes when cooked and eaten. The effects last for two to six hours. Short-term side effects may include a decrease in short-term memory, dry mouth, impaired motor skills, red eyes, and feelings of paranoia or anxiety. Long-term side effects may include addiction, decreased mental ability in those who started regular use as teenagers, and behavioral problems in children whose mothers used cannabis during pregnancy. There is a strong relation between cannabis use and the risk of psychosis, though the cause-and-effect is debated. Cannabis is mostly used for recreation or as a medicinal drug.

Medical cannabis, or medical marijuana, can refer to the use of cannabis and its cannabinoids to treat disease or improve symptoms; however, there is no single agreed-upon definition. The rigorous scientific study of cannabis as a medicine has been hampered by production restrictions and by the fact it's classified as an illegal drug by the many governments. There is limited evidence suggesting cannabis can be used to reduce nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy, to improve appetite in people with HIV/AIDS, or to treat chronic pain and muscle spasms. Its use for other medical applications is insufficient for drawing conclusions about safety or efficacy.

Short-term use increases the risk of both minor and major adverse effects. Common side effects include dizziness, feeling tired and vomiting. The long-term effects of cannabis are not clear.There are concerns surrounding memory and cognition problems, risk of addiction, schizophrenia in young people, and the risk of children taking it by accident.