Nepal
Gandaki Province legalises medical cannabis cultivation and use
A provincial law in Nepal permits cultivation and medical applications despite national prohibition.
Gandaki Province has enacted legislation to permit the cultivation and medical use of cannabis, making it the first province in Nepal to do so. While national prohibition remains in place, local authorities will oversee licensed farmers. This development highlights ongoing efforts in Asia to establish regulated markets for research, agriculture, and medicine.
Key provisions of the provincial law
Provincial legislation enacted
Gandaki Province has established a local law permitting cannabis cultivation and medical use.
Licensing and oversight required
Cultivators must secure official permits and operate under direct administrative supervision.
National prohibition persists
The provincial regulatory framework has been introduced despite federal laws banning cannabis across Nepal.
Our view
Worth watching, with a caveat. A provincial law operating while national prohibition remains in force creates a legal position that is unsettled, and businesses should not read this as an open market. What it does show is that Asian cannabis policy is not moving in a single direction. Thailand is tightening around medical use while Nepal's Gandaki Province is opening under licence. Both are movements towards regulated medical frameworks rather than towards either free markets or prohibition. We consider that the more useful question for the region is no longer whether cannabis is legal, but what oversight, quality standards and patient records a jurisdiction requires.
Background
The national government of Nepal maintains a policy of cannabis prohibition. Despite this federal stance, Gandaki Province has taken the initiative to establish its own legal framework to regulate the sector locally.
Sources
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