Sri Lanka Proposes First Cannabis Plantation for US Exportation
The island nation of Sri Lanka, which lies south of India, has made an important decision for the cannabis industry as it prepares its first cannabis cultivation site for distribution to local medical markets, as well as the possibility of exportation to the United States.
The newly suggested plantation is 100 acres, government owned and protected by the military to ensure its safety from attempted theft. The cannabis farm resides in the city of Ingiriya in the Kalutara district, 37 miles southeast from Sri Lanka’s capital of Colombo. Once the farm becomes operational, it is estimated to produce over 25 tonnes of cannabis per year.
Cannabis is not currently legal in Sri Lanka, due to The Ayurveda Act of 1961. Nine years ago in 2008 the Ministry of Health first propose cannabis reform, but ayurvedic medicine has been a reliable form of medicine in that region dating back almost 3,000 years. Today, traditional medical practices in Sri Lanka often incorporate cannabis, even moreso than western medical practices.
Sri Lanka’s Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine, Rajitha Senaratne, confirmed the news explaining that “Many ayurvedic doctors have complained that they don’t get good quality cannabis for their preparations.” Typically, these doctors receive their cannabis supply from police who confiscated the cannabis from illegal operations. By the time it reaches the doctors, the supply is far too old. “The traditional herbal medicine market currently depends on the hand-outs from the court which generally seize the illegally grown and smuggled drugs,” Senaratne said. “By the time our doctors get the cannabis, it is already four or five years old and lost its effectiveness.”
Now with the news of the country cultivating its own cannabis, the Sri Lankan Ministry of Health believes that it could help treat up to 16,000 local ayurvedic patients. There is also hope that the country will be able to export its excess product to the U.S., but no statements have been made regarding such an option. Only will Sri Lanka’s own local doctors benefit from the production of the newly announced cannabis cultivation site, but the economy would also experience a boost if exportation to the U.S. proves to be successful.
