Court throws out petition seeking to make cannabis consumption, possession legal

It will increase revenue, the petitioner prays

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday rejected a petition seeking to legalise the possession and consumption of up to 10 grams of cannabis.

The court expressed its severe displeasure and reprimanded the petitioner, Ghulam Asghar Sain, on bringing such a petition before the judge.

"What kind of petition have you brought? Do you want everyone to start smoking cannabis? Tell me, how much fine should be imposed on you?" Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar asked. The petitioner prayed that he was a poor man and has put forth the petition in the larger public interest.

“The fine should be abolished for possession of 10 grams of cannabis, Cannabis is legal in most other countries of the world. It should be allowed here too as it would increase income and create revenue, prayed the petitioner.

 

(Video statement of petitioner Ghulam Asghar Sain)

Justice Mazhar replied that there was no need for such revenue and that there are other legitimate ways to increase income.

“If you want to smoke cannabis then go to the countries where it is legal,” the judge remarked. “It is not allowed here. Why are such petitions brought to the court?”

In September, the federal cabinet approved cultivation and medical use of Hemp, which is a variety of the cannabis sativa plant species that is grown specifically for the industrial uses of its derived products.

In a tweet, Minister of Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said on Tuesday the “landmark decision” will grant Pakistan access to billions of dollar cannabidiol market.

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is derived from cannabis plants, but does not cause users to get high. It focused on young patients with Dravet syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy