ISLAMABAD: In a surprising turn of events, the Ministry of Food’s interference has halted the progress of both the Ministry of Narcotics and the Ministry of Science & Technology, who were vying for administrative control over the cultivation, harvest, processing, and sale of medicinal hemp. This interference has significantly impacted the policy for licensing the production, local sale, and export of medicinal hemp, introducing several obstacles in the process.
The initiative to legalize the production of medicinal hemp was initially proposed by Fawad Chaudhry, the former Minister for Science & Technology. In September 2020, Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cabinet approved the proposal, marking the first step toward legalizing the drug-based plant. The Ministry of Science and Technology sought permission from the cabinet to cultivate industrial hemp after extensive deliberation with the Ministries of Commerce, Narcotics Control, and National Health Services.
Hemp seeds are known for producing hemp oil, while the leaves have medicinal uses, and the stems can be transformed into fiber, offering a potential alternative to cotton in the textile industry. However, the change in government leadership in April 2022 saw Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti, the Minister for Narcotics Control, approaching Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, arguing that hemp is related to marijuana and should fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Narcotics Control.
As a result of this appeal, the federal cabinet, in December 2022, decided to transfer the mandate of the hemp issue from the Ministry of Science and Technology to the Ministry of Narcotics. This decision led to a setback for the Ministry of Science and Technology’s plans for industrial hemp cultivation.
In response to the directive from the Cabinet Division, the Ministry of Science and Technology informed concerned authorities, including the Ministry of Narcotics, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Ministry of Food Security, that the draft of the “National Industrial Hemp and Medicinal Cannabis Policy” had been shared. This draft policy assesses the potential opportunities for cultivating, extracting, and developing products related to industrial hemp and medicinal cannabis within the country.
The draft policy highlighted the unique advantages of this initiative, such as promoting the indigenous development of hemp and cannabis seeds for crops, import substitution, providing fiber for the textile and paper industry, and fostering the development of medicinal products.
To address the conflicting interests and finalize the hemp policy, the federal cabinet formed a committee chaired by Nawabzada Shazain Bugti, the Minister for Narcotics Control, and co-chaired by Agha Hasan Baloch, the Federal Minister for Science and Technology. This committee aimed to overcome the challenges and present a clear hemp policy to the federal cabinet.
In a recent meeting held at the Ministry of Narcotics, the committee concluded discussions on the hemp policy. The committee’s summary emphasized that the global industrial hemp and medicinal cannabis industry is projected to grow from the current $25 billion to approximately $100 billion by 2026. Recognizing the need for swift action to tap into this rapidly expanding industry and earn foreign exchange, the committee emphasized the potential for creating thousands of jobs across various sectors through hemp cultivation.
However, the Ministry of Food Security raised concerns, stating that a two-year research period is necessary to approve seeds for cultivation. Additionally, factors such as soil and weather conditions need to be thoroughly documented before commercial cultivation of the crop can be permitted. Consequently, the Ministry of Narcotics has deferred the presentation of the summary to the federal cabinet for the approval of the Hemp policy.
The fate of the hemp policy now hangs in the balance as the various ministries involved grapple with conflicting interests, highlighting the challenges associated with legalizing and regulating the cultivation.
