Sri Lanka Could Overcome The Recession By Legalising & Exporting Medical Cannabis

By Rajasinghe Bandara –MARCH 6, 2021

Dr Rajasinghe Bandara

Minister of trade, Dr Bandula Gunawardane has been convinced by some experts about the global demand for medical cannabis and he commented to the media cannabis export could overcome country’s recession and pay off the foreign debts by 2025. Why shouldn’t we take the great opportunity to overcome the deep recession and relieve our long-suffered nation with enormous economic hardships. By the end of August 2020, total outstanding external debt of the Government was US$ 35.3billion. ‘Sri Lanka is making arrangements to repay or roll-over 6,865 million dollars of foreign debt in 2021’ co-cabinet spokesman Minister Udaya Gammanpila said. 

Cannabis well-known in Asia as Ganja and in the west as Marijuana had been classified globally as a harmful drug until recently mainly because of the legislations passed by our colonial masters for their own advantages. For example, cannabis (famously known as Ganja or Kansa in Sri Lanka) had been used as a medicine to cure numerous illnesses and for many other purposes in ancient Asia including Sri Lanka such as for food, textiles, recreational and even for sexual stimulation. But they were banned by the British governors to generate huge income for the British empire with the alcohol and opium trade. But recent research in the west discovered the health benefits of Marijuana and has been legalised it in almost all developed countries across the globe for both medicinal use and recreational purposes as it is least harmful compared to alcohol and tobacco. Cannabis is an essential ingredient of many Ayurvedic medicines and Sri Lankan Ayurveda experts have demanded from the government to legalise cannabis because of the significant health benefits. They say smoking cannabis does not give bad effect on human body.

It has been discovered the CBD oil extracted from cannabis plant can cure some rare form of diseases: On 25 June 2018, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Epidiolex (cannabidiol) [CBD] oral solution for the treatment of seizures associated with two rare and severe forms of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, in patients two years of age and older. This is the first FDA-approved drug that contains a purified drug substance derived from marijuana. It is also the first FDA approval of a drug for the treatment of patients with Dravet syndrome… 

CBD is a chemical component of the Cannabis sativa plant, more commonly known as marijuana. However, CBD does not cause intoxication or euphoria (the “high”) that comes from tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Some research also suggests Drugs containing Cannabidiol may be helpful in treating vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy, and loss of appetite and weight loss associated with HIV/AIDS. In addition, some evidence suggests modest benefits of cannabis or Cannabidiol for chronic pain and multiple sclerosis symptoms. (Source: US Department of Health and Hunan Services)

CBD is a chemical that impacts the brain, making it function better without giving it a high along with THC which has pain relieving properties. Both substances can be extracted and enhanced for use through short path distillation. 

According to Ayurvedic experts, people in Asia have discovered the benefits of cannabis from primitive ages. The oldest known written record on cannabis use comes from the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung in 2727 B.C. Ancient Greeks and Romans were also familiar with cannabis, while in the Middle East, use spread throughout the Islamic empire to North Africa. In 1545 cannabis spread to the western hemisphere where Spaniards imported it to Chile for its use as fibre. In North America cannabis, in the form of hemp, was grown on many plantations for use in rope, sail, clothing and paper. The history of cannabis cultivation in America dates back to the early colonists, who grew hemp for textiles and rope.

Despite all the facts and amazing benefits, cannabis cultivation in Sri Lanka has been a criminal offence since colonial era and, the police Special Task Force and the security forces have been ordered to destroy them to increase government income through legal alcohol and tobacco. Unfortunately, it was the strategy used by our colonial rulers.

According to the campaigners and the experts who contributed to legalise marijuana in the west including Canada, the USA, Europe and the UK, one of the major products multiple companies willing to buy from Sri Lanka is, medical Cannabis, in the form of CDB Oil and Hemp Powder. The demand for this product has been increased by fourfold in the last year. 

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