SL’s cannabis call: short term pleasure for long term pain

By Huzefa Aliasger and Pranavesh Sivakumar

Sri Lanka, scripting history for the first time, green lighted the first-ever Cannabis cultivation only last month. However, this has rather received only a wave of unpleasant welcome, where in most corners and quarters, this has been questioned and criticized. The government’s desire to attract foreign exchange earnings is appreciable, however, getting blinded by that and resorting to these ways, should not be entertained. 

Globally, there are around a dozen countries, which have legalized Cannabis. Of them, only a solitary country is in Asia itself, which is, Thailand, and two other countries South Korea and Japan are “merely only exploring” medical cannabis.

The eye-opening part is, not a single country, big or small is found in South Asia. Sri Lanka being a small nation in South Asia itself, leave alone Asia, welcoming Cannabis only raises questions about its priorities.

NPP, closing in on a year, addresses this matter, while plenty of other priorities, in fact plenty for the plate, are yet to see significant progress.

While the government approved cannabis cultivation which was illegal in Sri Lanka until August 2025 due to economic interest such as foreign exchange earnings, many authorities and experts oppose the idea of allowing cannabis cultivation debunking claims of economic benefit and warn that health costs to the country in the long run will outweigh the economic benefits.

Seven foreign investors were selected from 37 applicants for the cannabis cultivation project, and the Board of Investment has provided them with legal clearance, in the first phase, each investor has been issued a temporary license for six months, with the government planning to extend the cultivation period based on progress reports. As a condition, each investor must deposit a bond of USD 2 million with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka as a guarantee.

Under existing Sri Lankan law, strict regulations have been imposed to ensure that no part of the cannabis plant, including seeds, leaves, or roots, is released into the external environment during cultivation.

Cannabis Industry

The Alcohol and Drug Information Centre (ADIC) disapproves the decision of the government granting permission to legally cultivate cannabis in Sri Lanka saying that despite all efforts to make cannabis a legal commodity, attempts to legalize cannabis in the world have failed due to public opposition and opposition from scholars. As a strategy to change this situation, the cannabis industry, together with businessmen like George Soros, is trying to change the current legal cultivation by presenting cannabis as an economic commodity, a commodity that can generate export income, and by saying that it is only for legal cultivation. “This is a cunning plan used to achieve their ultimate goal. It is a very sad situation that the new government has become a part of that strategy.”

“Of these uses, what we are trying to do at the moment is to export cannabis for medicinal purposes, which I think has a low potential to reach the expected results. This is due to several reasons. Over 70 countries have relaxed the relevant laws, while only a handful has completely removed those laws. If we are exporting, our target should be the countries that have completely removed those laws. The issue is that those countries are producing the cannabis that they need, which raises a serious challenge in finding suitable markets.” University of Ruhuna Senior Prof. in Crop Science K.K.I.U. Arunakumara explains.

 Institutions against cannabis cultivation

One of the first to react and refuse the welcome was that of the Sri Lanka Medical Association.

In their urge to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the SLMA opposed Govt’s move to allow cannabis cultivation.

In their statement, they urged the government to reverse the policy, citing multiple health, social, and economic concerns.

“The government’s justification of cannabis cultivation for “medicinal use” was misleading, pointing out that approved uses in countries such as the United Kingdom and United States are limited to very rare conditions. It added that global demand for cannabis for medical and pharmaceutical purposes has been declining since 2021, according to the International Narcotic Control Board (INCB)”.

Closely followed by them were the Community Physicians of Sri Lanka, having been up in arms ever since approving this. 

Citizens, too, have been unhappy over this, raising pleas to the president, asking to reconsider and reverse this decision. In one letter, referring to the policy makers as the government, he said the move behind this is deeply flawed. 

In a five pointer letter, they outline - Legal and Regulatory contradictions, insufficient safety measures, harm despite zero diversions, Health risk on Youth and False Economic Promise - claiming that these won’t augur well. 

Institutions/people for cannabis

Former State Minister Diana Gamage praised the President’s  decision for allowing cannabis cultivation. Addressing the media, Diana Gamage said she was pleased that the incumbent government had taken steps to implement proposals she had made on cannabis during her tenure in the former government. 

“I did not ask for people to consume cannabis while on the road. I did not propose that it be used as a drug. I only proposed that it be treated as an industry to earn dollars for Sri Lanka,” she said. 

Professor Arunakumara says that Sri Lanka’s biggest potential is regarding industrial cannabis. This suits the dry zone best, and our farmers have an inherent knowledge of how to farm this plant. It can be seen in areas like Thanamalwila. Industrial cannabis is mainly for fiber products. Sri Lanka can have at least a $ 1 billion market in around five years if we do this right. Another form of use is seeds and seed oil, which does not take place at all in Sri Lanka. The third and fourth are medicinal purposes and recreational use, with the latter receiving social pressure demanding a ban.