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Himachal guv raises concern over misuse of cannabis
While speaking to the media persons on the sidelights of the 15th National Voters’ Day event at the historic Gaiety Theatre, Shukla said, “Earlier, the state was proud of Malana. It was even famous in foreign countries, but today due to the addiction of this fame, children are losing lives.”
A day after Himachal Pradesh Cabinet approved a pilot study on cannabis cultivation, governor Shiv Pratap Shukla expressed his concerns and cautioned the government about the in-principle approval on Saturday.
While speaking to the media persons on the sidelights of the 15th National Voters’ Day event at the historic Gaiety Theatre, Shukla said, “Earlier, the state was proud of Malana. It was even famous in foreign countries, but today due to the addiction of this fame, children are losing lives.”
Malana is a village in Parvati Valley, Kullu. Beginning in the 1980s, Malana became a destination for recreational drug tourism. Over the years, it became famous rather notorious for its “Malana cream”, a product made from cannabis plants, which grow in the Parvati Valley. The “Malana cream” is regarded as high-purity hash.
“In such a situation, the government needs to focus on the fact that cannabis should be used only for medicinal purposes,” added Shukla, who also expressed concern over the misuse of cannabis.
The governor said, “In Himachal, samples of medicines are continuously failing, which is a matter of concern. The government should take strict action on this and punish the culprits. Himachal Pradesh Cabinet meeting was held on Friday at Dharmshala during winter sojourn of the chief minister. The cabinet had approved a pilot study on cannabis cultivation to evaluate and recommend the future road map for the product’s industrial and medicinal use. The study will be jointly undertaken by Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur, Kangra, and Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture, Nauni, Solan. The agriculture department has been designated as the nodal department for this initiative.
Shukla congratulates first-time voters
During the state-level event, Shukla congratulated first-time voters and urged them to create awareness about the significance of voting among their peers.
Chief electoral officer (CEO) Nandita Gupta noted that Himachal Pradesh had recorded a total of 56,62,423 registered voters, including 1,33,407 young voters in the 18–19 age group, as per the latest voter roll update. She also shared the achievements of the election department in conducting a successful voter enrolment drive and Lok Sabha elections in 2024, which witnessed a voter turnout of 71.45 percent.
During the event, the governor presented election photo identity cards (EPICs) to new voters and honoured senior citizens and officials for their service. The recipients of the national awards for exceptional performance during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, including the deputy commissioners of Bilaspur and Lahaul-Spiti, were also recognised.
