Gandaki Province’s bill to regulate cannabis for medicinal and industrial purposes has been sent back to the provincial assembly for reconsideration by Province Chief Diliraj Bhatta.
The bill, which was unanimously passed by the provincial assembly, was returned on Ashar 30, 2083, citing inconsistencies with Nepal’s constitution and federal laws.
According to the Province Chief’s office, the bill contradicts the constitution’s Article 201 (3) and the Federal Act on Coordination and Relationship between the Federation, Province, and Local Level, 2077.
The Province Chief’s office has stated that the bill exceeds the province’s jurisdiction and that the federal government has the sole authority to regulate cannabis.
The office has also pointed out that Nepal is a signatory to the International Narcotics Control Board and that the federal government is responsible for implementing the treaty.
Although the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs removed cannabis from the list of highly controlled substances in 2020, Nepal’s laws still prohibit the cultivation, production, and sale of cannabis.
The provincial assembly will now have to reconsider the bill and decide whether to amend it or pass it again in its original form.
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