Gandaki Province Approves Medical Cannabis Cultivation, Defying Nepal's Nationwide Ban
Gandaki province in Nepal has enacted a law allowing the growing and medical use of cannabis, even though the drug remains illegal across the country.
A new ordinance in Nepal’s Gandaki province authorizes the cultivation and medical application of cannabis, becoming law on Monday after approval by the province’s chief. Spokesperson Prabin Poudyal explained that farmers will need official licences from provincial authorities and will be subject to strict monitoring. The measure directly opposes the country’s overall ban, where personal possession can result in a month’s jail time and distribution offenses carry sentences of up to ten years, depending on the amount seized.
Gandaki, known for its mountains, hiking trails and the resort city of Pokhara, has historically incorporated cannabis into local customs, with open smoking permitted during the Shivaratri festival at Shiva temples. Activists have long pushed for reform, and this provincial step marks the first sub-national legalization of medical cannabis in Nepal.
Why it matters
The law creates a legal pathway for medical cannabis in a region of Nepal, challenging the national drug ban and possibly shaping future national policy.
How the sides frame it
HIGH AGREEMENTBoth camps report the same ordinance and its requirements, but left-leaning coverage emphasizes the law’s defiance of the national ban and activist pressure, while centrist coverage stresses the bill’s controversy and its unanimous legislative passage.
LEFT
Frames the ordinance as a bold step that defies Nepal’s nationwide cannabis ban and fulfills long-standing activist calls for reform.
CENTER
Frames the ordinance as a controversial bill that gained unanimous support in the provincial assembly and sets a legal precedent.
The left emphasises
- defies Nepal's nationwide ban
- farmers will need official licences and strict monitoring
- Gandaki has historically incorporated cannabis, with open smoking during the Shivaratri festival
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