Government unveils cannabis control ordinance

ISLAMABAD: The government has announced a new law called the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority Ordinance of 2024 to manage how cannabis is grown and used in Pakistan.

The ordinance was announced on February 16, 2024 under article 89 of the Pakistan constitution.

This new law sets up rules for overseeing the growth, processing, making, and selling of cannabis products for health, industrial, and other uses.

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A special regulatory body called the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority will be in charge of making sure the rules about growing and using cannabis are followed, including giving out licenses.

The law clearly defined important terms related to the plant, including what is defined under “cannabis”, what “cultivation” of the plant involves, and what are considered its “derivatives.”

It also includes detailed requirements for licenses to make sure individuals or businesses involved in cannabis activities acquire the necessary permissions as per the ordinance.

In terms of implementing the new law, section 33 of the ordinance states its “supremacy over conflicting laws”, clarifying that its provisions will prevail over any other existing legal frameworks that are inconsistent with its directives.

However, the law also makes it clear that it will not interfere with other important laws related to drug control. Section 34 says that this new ordinance will not affect the powers given by the Anti-Narcotics Act of 1997 and the Control of Narcotic Substances Act of 1997, among other.