Odisha says "no" to cannabis cultivation

The Odisha government on Tuesday rejected proposals from pharmaceutical industries to allow cultivation of ganja (cannabis) in the state as it may cause harm to the people, a senior official said.

This was revealed by Excise secretary S K Lohani after presiding over a meeting here.

"On several occasions, many industries have come up with proposals requesting to allow them to carry out hemp cultivation or supply hemp to them citing that it has high medicinal value. But the Law department has rejected such proposals," Lohani told reporters.

He said the ganja cultivation will continue to remain an illegal activity in the state.

Earlier, several organisations had protested against the proposal by the Excise department for ganja cultivation in the state following a recent letter by the joint secretary, Excise, to the Excise superintendents.

Anti-liquor campaign leader Prahallad Sinha has welcomed the Law departments stand and said: "It will be better for the state if the government imposes total prohibition in Odisha."