Lit_Match

Government wants to grow own dope
09-26-08|Metro.co.uk

It may be classified as a class B drug in Britain, but the Sri-Lankan government is thinking about growing their own marijuana.

Cannabis has been illegal in Sri-Lanka since the 1890's but an alternative medicine group want exemption to grow it.

The weed is used in many traditional Ayurvedic medical preparations in the country and The Ministry of Indigenous Medicine has broached a plan to grow 4,000kg a year of the plant.

The practice is of Ayurveda uses traditional herbs and to heal and the Ayurveda doctors-who out number western medical doctors in the country- say that the weeds that they have dried out and they need fresh cannabis to make their medicines more effective.

"We are interested in getting some approval to grow some cannabis with government sponsorship, but there must be controls. It is under study," Asoka Malimage, secretary at the Ministry of Indigenous Medicine said.

"At the moment they are getting some stocks from the courts of law, because there are people who grow this cannabis illegally and they have been raided by the police,"

[There is a comments section available for this article.]

__________________
Donation links to NORML (The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) | MPP (Marijuana Policy Project)