Cannabis should be cultivated in the country with the support of the government

Mp Diana Gamage made a request to the Finance Minister that since commercial crops like tea, rubber and coconut are now unable to earn proper income for the country, it would be appropriate to sponsor and cultivate cannabis as a commercial crop.

While addressing parliament yesterday, She said that despite the ban on the use of cannabis as a drug, exports of ganja as a drug can generate revenue.

She pointed out that it can be used as a cure for many diseases and cosmetics to make products and create a large number of entrepreneurs.

Commenting on the matter, She said, "I would like to bring a proposal to the Finance Minister and today there is no commercial crop in our country.

We ate tea, rubber and coconut for a long time and exported it. But today we import coconuts. The reason is the sale of coconut lands.

We exported ceylon tea at the highest quality. Today China and Kenya receive foreign exchange from it.

Today we have no commercial crop left. But God has given us crops. That's cannabis.

I recommend that cannabis be cultivated in the country with the support of the government.

Since Sri Lanka is a tropical country, it can be cultivated and exported to earn foreign exchange.

She noted that under Section 8 of the Ayurveda Act No. 31 of 1961, the Commissioner of Ayurveda has been empowered to cultivate ganja only for medical purposes.