$Canopy Growth Corp (WEED.CA)$ Pakistan sets cannabis rules,...

$Canopy Growth Corp(WEED.CA)$ Pakistan sets cannabis rules, eyes sales to help balance books
Country hopes trade in drug for medical and industrial uses will boost coffers
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"We are very serious about this initiative, and things are moving at a very fast pace," a senior official of the Special Investment Facilitation Council.
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Local marijuana shops were once popular stops on the "hippie trail" up until the 1970s. But military ruler Gen. Zia-ul-Haq outlawed the use and possession of cannabis in the 1980s during U.S. President Ronald Reagan's global war on drugs.
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Thailand saw a surge in recreational use after it became the first Asian country to decriminalize marijuana in 2022. But a Pakistani doctor said authorities can prevent abuse by offering cannabis drugs only by prescription.
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Caregiver Adnan Amin agreed. "Misuse of cannabis is possible, but then ephedrine (used to treat low blood pressure) is a lifesaving drug and is misused, too," he said.
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"There is a worldwide wave of sustainable fashion, and hemp is considered the most sustainable fiber because it doesn't need excessive pesticides, fertilizer or water, and increases soil fertility," he said.
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To meet the increasing global demand for sustainable textiles and make up for poor local cotton yields, Pakistan began importing hemp fiber, in addition to cotton bales, after 2020.
"We don't have any other natural fiber that can compensate for our dwindling cotton production or substitute it," he said.