• Law reforms with AG’s Dept.

The National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB) claimed that no permission has been obtained from them by the relevant authorities concerning the proposed legalisation of cannabis for medical export purposes. Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (28), NDDCB Chairman Shakya Nanayakkara said that before exporting any relevant drug from Sri Lanka, permission should be obtained.

“Cannabis is proposed to be exported for medical and commercial purposes. However, before the legalisation of cannabis for export, permission must be taken from the NDDCB, but there is no information received from any related authority with regard to requesting permission,” he claimed.

Furthermore, he added that permission should be obtained from the Department of Ayurveda for the cultivation of cannabis in the island.

When contacted by The Daily Morning yesterday (28), the State Minister of Indigenous Medicine Sisira Jayakody said that the progress of the legal amendments required to make cannabis available for Ayurvedic exports has already been sent to the Attorney General’s (AG) Department earlier. “And, we are to put forward the Act regarding the export-based legalisation of cannabis,” he claimed.