Drug abuse has become rampant all over the world and not just in Pakistan. And yet, the legal proceedings to deal with all the drug abuse or drug dealing are almost similar. All drugs are treated with the same level of contempt. Justice Sajjad Ali Shah in fact said that the punishment of Cannabis and Heroin was exactly the same. This is why the recent indication by the Supreme Court of Pakistan becomes all the more important with regard to Cannabis.
Supreme Court on Cannabis
Yesterday, in a hearing of a narcotic case, the Supreme Court judge indicated that they would be open to treating two drugs, Cannabis and Heroin differently in the legal setting. It was possible due to the past history of the drug and how it had been used for medicinal purposes for the longest time. Heroin was also used in a similar way long ago but the benefits of Heroin were way less and Cannabis had many uses in the medical field.
‘Cannabis cures many diseases and strengthens human nerves’ https://t.co/5FHgu6wNeY
— Adam Makda (@makda25makda) December 15, 2021
To officially consider Cannabis differently from Heroin and what spectrum should they be differently on, the Court has requested judicial assistants for written arguments.
Read More: Teens are Trying Marijuana Before Cigarettes or Alcohol: Research
How it comes about?
The court proceeding where the coin move happened was headed by Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan. The court comprised of the seven-member larger bench. It was also discussed there that the Senate Committee was in the process of enforcing legislation for criminals held for drug charges. Before making any decisions, however, the Court has also requested to know all the developments of what the Senate is up to regarding the matter.
Read More: E-Cigarettes Vs. Tobacco And What Anti-Vapers Are Getting Wrong
According to Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, cannabis was a cure for many diseases and strengthened human nerves. He also mentioned that the drug was used as medicine in various countries.
Malta became the first country in the E.U. to agree to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes, allowing people to carry up to seven grams of marijuana, grow up to four plants in their apartments and keep up to 50 grams of dried cannabis at home. https://t.co/JmncYxjsbp pic.twitter.com/6DE8F1lpAn
— The New York Times (@nytimes) December 15, 2021
Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel further stated that the Pakistani government had formulated a policy for cannabis as well.
No specific word came forward out of the legal proceeding however on how differently will cannabis be treated and the case was adjourned until the end of January 2022. It will be by then, hopefully, that things will be clarified because while cannabis may be useful medically, its abuse should be treated harshly.
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