President Arif Alvi of Pakistan has given approval for the enactment of the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority Ordinance 2024, aimed at overseeing the cultivation, extraction, refining, manufacturing, and sale of cannabis derivatives for medical and industrial purposes.
Under this ordinance, titled the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority Ordinance 2024, Pakistan, as a signatory to the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 1961, acknowledges the need for government agencies to regulate the cultivation and production of cannabis. Additionally, Article 28 of the convention addresses matters concerning the cultivation of opium poppy and related issues.
The ordinance mandates the establishment of the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority, to operate under the administrative oversight of the relevant division. A 13-member Board of Governors, chaired by the Secretary of the Defence Division, will be responsible for policy decisions and advising the federal government on cannabis-related matters. This board will have the authority to issue licenses for activities specified in the ordinance.
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The federal government retains the power to convene board meetings as needed, while a Director General will be appointed by the Prime Minister to oversee the authority’s operations. The government is authorized to appoint employees, advisors, and consultants to facilitate its functions.
Furthermore, the federal government is tasked with formulating and implementing a national cannabis policy governing all aspects of the cannabis plant derivatives market, including cultivation, production, sale, and export/import conditions. Licenses will be issued for a five-year period, with a committee established to oversee the development of prescription and non-prescription drugs derived from cannabis for pharmaceutical, herbal, and nutraceutical purposes.