Current Status of Cannabis Legalization and Decriminalization Efforts in Nepal

Nabin Pathak,1,2 Shreya Dhungana,3 Bijaya Basyal,4 Prabhat Kumar Jha,5 Sunil Shrestha,6 Panna Thapa,7,8 Vibhu Paudyal9,10 1Drug Information Unit and Pharmacovigilance Cell, Department of Pharmacy, Hetauda Hospital, Madan Bhandari Academy of Health Sciences, Hetauda, Bagmati Province, Nepal; 2Department of Pharmacy and Clinical Pharmacology, Madan Bhandari Academy of Health Sciences, Hetauda, Bagmati Province, Nepal; 3Department of Pharmacy, National Model College for Advanced Learning, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal; 4Pharmacy Unit, Prithvi Chandra Hospital, Nawalparasi, Nepal; 5Pharmacy Officer, Province Health Logistic Management Center, Dhanusha, Nepal; 6Department of Research and Academics, Kathmandu Cancer Center, Bhaktapur, Province Bagmati, Nepal; 7Department of Pharmacy, Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel, Kavre, Nepal; 8Multidimensional Cannabis Research Centre (MCRC), Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel, Nepal; 9School of Pharmacy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK; 10Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care, King’s College London, London, UKCorrespondence: Nabin Pathak, Drug Information Unit and Pharmacovigilance Cell, Department of Pharmacy, Hetauda Hospital, Madan Bhandari Academy of Health Sciences, Makwanpur, Hetauda, Bagmati Province, Nepal, Email nabin.pathak@mbahs.edu.np; pathaknabin89@gmail.comAbstract: The unique historical and cultural background of Nepal has shaped its perspective on cannabis usage. Narcotic Drugs Control Act 1976 of Nepal prohibits the cultivation, production, manufacture, sales, and distribution of narcotic drugs, which also include various forms of cannabis. With proponents for cannabis legalization increasing in the country, it is equally crucial to analyze context and practices in countries already adopting legalization. As such, this article contextualizes the current debates in Nepal with global policies and practices and talks about the possible impacts of changing the laws on society, the economy, and public health. Policymakers in Nepal must make decisions based on evidence and facts when deciding how to regulate cannabis.Keywords: cannabis, legalization, decriminalization, Nepal