Sukhu Magic may turn green into gold if growing cannabis is allowed in Himachal, as it could generate revenue and create jobs

Himachal May Allow Growing Cannabis for Money and Jobs

In the mountains of Kullu, there’s a special crop hidden away. People secretly harvest charas from cannabis plants. They do this because growing cannabis has been illegal in India for nearly 40 years. But now, Himachal Pradesh is thinking about making it legal for medical and industrial use.

Why? Well, it’s not a new idea. In 2018,  former Chief Minister Thakur Jai Ram wanted to do the same thing. And in 2023, the government started talking about it again.

They even formed a group to figure out if it’s a good idea. They say making cannabis legal could be a game-changer for the state.

The goal is to make money and create jobs for people in villages. Instead of being like a secret thing, cannabis farming would be just like growing maize or wheat. The government would give seeds to farmers, buy the crop at good prices, and provide jobs for many young people. Plus, it might help stop illegal drug dealers.

If everything goes as planned, cannabis farming could be legal in Himachal by March next year. And it could bring in a lot of money for the state, maybe even more than apples.

Some people worry that making cannabis legal might cause problems, like misuse. But others say the benefits are worth it. They say it’s been delayed because politicians talked about it but never made a plan, and bureaucrats made things difficult.

One thing’s for sure, legal cannabis would change things in Himachal, affecting jobs, money, and the illegal drug trade. Whether it’s a good change or not, only time will tell.

Legalizing cannabis could boost the Himachal government’s yearly income by around Rs 400-500 crore in the beginning, according to a report. The state is eager for new sources of money, but some governments in the past hesitated to make cannabis legal because they feared that illegal drug dealers would misuse the new law.

However, supporters of legal cannabis argue that these fears are unfounded. They say that getting a license to grow medical cannabis won’t be easy, and legitimate businesses won’t risk their reputation by selling cannabis illegally. The use of medical cannabis would be restricted to established pharmaceutical companies.

Many locals in Himachal have a long history with the cannabis plant. It used to be a part of their daily lives, used for making ropes, footwear, and clothing from the plant’s fibers. Some suggest that at the very least, the state government should make it legal for extracting fiber from cannabis.

So, why hasn’t cannabis cultivation been legalized yet? Some experts blame bureaucracy and red tape. They say that while politicians talked about it, they never created a clear policy, and bureaucrats created obstacles instead of realizing the benefits of legalizing cannabis.

Hemp fiber, derived from cannabis, has a substantial market worldwide, potentially surpassing the revenue generated by the state’s apple industry. Legal cannabis might not be as lucrative for some as the illegal trade, but it could deter people from engaging in illegal activities, as they won’t have to live in constant fear of breaking the law.

Still, there are concerns that legalizing cannabis cultivation might have unintended consequences. Some worry that the law enforcement agencies might struggle to monitor and regulate it effectively. To address this, some suggest starting with a pilot project in a place like Malana, where the effects can be studied before implementing it elsewhere.

The future of cannabis cultivation in Himachal remains uncertain, with passionate arguments on both sides. Whether it becomes a reality and what impact it will have on the state, its economy, and its people are questions that will be answered in the coming months.