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No cannabis legalisation: Trade Ministry

19 May 2021

  • Opposition MP’s lobby for cannabis exports shot down

By Imsha Iqbal    The Government will not legalise the exportation of cannabis from Sri Lanka in the near future, or in the years to come, despite certain parties lobbying for its legalisation, stated Trade Ministry Secretary J.M. Bhadrani Jayawardana. Speaking to The Morning Business, Jayawardana made this statement yesterday (18) in response to a question we raised on cannabis exports. Such a move would require a national policy-level decision, she noted, stressing that neither the Government, nor the Ministry of Trade, has currently suggested legalisation of cannabis exports. The Acts and Ordinances outlawing the cultivation and use of cannabis are still in effect; thus, no cannabis exportation will take place in Sri Lanka, Jayawardana said. While noting that there are debates regarding the legalisation of cannabis and its demand in the world market, she reiterated that it remains illegal in the Sri Lankan context, and as such, is prohibited. This issue came into focus recently when Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Diana Gamage proposed in Parliament on 20 April that Sri Lanka needs to legalise cannabis, emphasising that the said plant could be grown and exported as a medicinal drug to other countries under the authority of the State.  When it comes to the current legal framework in the country, the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Act states: “No person shall, without the licence of the Minister, sow, plant, cultivate, obtain, or have in his possession any poppy plant, coca plant, or hemp plant, or collect or have in his possession the seeds, pods, leaves, flowers, or any part of any such plant.”  It also says: “No poppy plant, coca plant, or hemp plant, or seeds, pods, leaves, flowers, or any pan of any such plant or any preparation thereof, shall be imported or brought into or exported from Sri Lanka” Cannabis, also known as “marijuana”, is a frequently discussed topic in Sri Lanka with regard to either legalising or relaxing the relevant law prohibiting the use of cannabis in the country, due to its medicinal and market value. In spite of the law declaring it illegal, cannabis is widely cultivated across the country, especially in the Eastern and Southern Provinces. Accordingly, the Excise Department along with the Sri Lanka Police conduct regular raids to destroy these harvests and conduct eradication campaigns to curtail its cultivation and production.  However, Sri Lanka’s traditional Ayurvedic medicine practice uses cannabis as an ingredient, and such use is not regarded as a criminal offence under the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Act. It is used to stimulate and promote digestion and treat several other health conditions.  Its medicinal value remains in dispute, as cannabis reportedly causes negative health effects. According to the World Health Organisation, cannabis use can impair cognitive development and lead to schizophrenia. However, some countries, including Canada, Australia, and some parts of the US, Europe, and South America, have relaxed restrictions on its use for either medicinal or recreational purposes. In 1675, Sri Lanka’s Dutch colonial rulers completely banned cannabis trade within the country, which remains in effect through the aforementioned Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Act.


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