Kathmandu (Nepal) (AFP) – Nepal's top court gave the green light to regulated cannabis cultivation for some uses, decades after the Himalayan nation banned the crop, a petitioner in the case told AFP on Thursday.

Issued on: 05/11/2026 - 11:07

The Supreme Court ordered the government to make the "necessary arrangements" for the "controlled cultivation and production of cannabis".

The framework would allow cultivation for medicinal, scientific, agricultural, horticultural and industrial purposes. The court also asked for wider consultations on recreational use.

The ruling was issued in May 2025, but court documents were destroyed in a fire that September during protests that toppled the government. Its full text was released only this week.

"We feel grateful to the Supreme Court for this verdict," Saroj Adhikari, one of the petitioners, told AFP.

Nepal revoked licences for cannabis dealers in 1973 under international pressure during a US-led campaign against drugs.

Before that, Kathmandu had been a magnet for cannabis enthusiasts, with thousands of foreign backpackers flocking to buy hashish from government-licensed shops.

Former health minister Birodh Khatiwada has long called for the ban to be lifted.

"The decision came after a long wait," said Khatiwada, who sponsored a related parliamentary motion in 2020.

"Many developed nations have adopted legal cultivation, and we should not delay for it," he added, arguing that regulation could create jobs and generate income while curbing illegal trade.

"It will also help to curb illegal smuggling of marijuana, from which only a few people are benefiting," Khatiwada told AFP.

Cannabis has deep historical roots in Nepal, where it grows wild and its stems, leaves and resin have traditionally been used in food, textiles and traditional remedies.

Each year, hundreds of holy men gather at Kathmandu's Pashupatinath temple, honouring the Hindu god Shiva, where they smoke openly.

Elsewhere, however, penalties remain harsh. Marijuana dealers face up to 10 years in prison, and police seize and destroy thousands of cannabis plants each year.

"The law restricts smoking marijuana," Adhikari said. "But it's very common, so instead of restricting it, if it is regulated by law with strong enforcement mechanisms, it can generate revenue for the nation."

© 2026 AFP

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