Senate Finance Committee Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla remarked on the increasing use of cannabis in Pakistan on Friday, stating, “Everyone in the country is consuming hashish.”
The remarks came during a Senate Finance Committee meeting, chaired by Mandviwalla, where officials from the Ministry of Science briefed members on the Hemp Control and Regulatory Authority Bill.
Mandviwalla raised concerns over whether hashish is harmful to health. Officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology responded, stating,
“We need to assess the level of intoxication in it,” adding that hashish, to some extent, falls under the category of entertainment.
Discussing the benefits of hemp, the officials highlighted that it can be used to produce cotton and improve soil fertility. Currently, hemp is cultivated on 50,000 acres in Pakistan.
The officials further noted, “If hashish is legalised, it could generate $5 billion in revenue.” They added that, at present, hemp can only be used for hashish production.
The bill and policy were initially developed by the Ministry of Science, but disputes arose between the ministries of Science and Anti-Narcotics over their roles. It was eventually decided that the Ministry of Defence would take the lead in this sector.
Source: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2494098/everyone-in-the-country-is-consuming-hashish-says-mandviwalla
