Nepal will legalize marijuana cultivation and consumption for medicinal purposes, Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun announced on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, while presenting the government’s budget estimates for the 2024-25 fiscal year.
Addressing the joint session of Parliament, Pun stated that the necessary laws would be enacted for the commercial production of marijuana in the country.
“Legal arrangements will be made for the commercial cultivation and consumption of marijuana for medical use,” Pun declared while unveiling the budget.
Legalizing marijuana farming in Nepal will require amending the Narcotic Drugs (Control) Act 2033 and submitting an application to the Narcotic Convention to convince the International Narcotics Control Board.
Nepal is a signatory to the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 1961, which classifies marijuana as a hard drug like heroin. The Nepalese media reported last year when a similar proposal was included in the budget for the 2023-24 fiscal.
