National Assembly passes 'Bhang' Control & Regulatory Authority Bill

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly (NA) of Pakistan on Friday passed the Hemp ‘Bhang’ Control and Regulatory Authority Bill 2024.

The bill includes provisions for the cultivation, extraction, and refining of the hemp plant. Key points of the bill also cover the medicinal and industrial uses of hemp, as well as its sale and distribution.

Earlier this week, the Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology approved the country’s first-ever Cannabis Authority Bill after a delay of over four years due to disputes between ministries over its jurisdiction.

The idea of legalising the production of medicinal hemp in Pakistan was floated in September 2020 by Fawad Chaudhry, then minister for science and technology, but Ministry of Narcotics Control had raised objections, claiming that the matter fell under its jurisdiction.

Hemp is used to produce medicines to deal with cancer, body pain, and other illnesses. The bhang plant is also used extensively in the textile and paper industries.