Senate passes Cannabis Control & Regulatory Authority Bill, 2024

Islamabad: The Senate on Thursday passed the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority Bill, 2024 reported by the Standing Committee on Science and Technology to regulate the cultivation and processing of the cannabis plant for medicinal and industrial purposes after a debate by the Opposition and Treasury benches on different amendment clauses proposed in the Bill.

Minister for Law and Justice, Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar laid The Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority Bill, 2024 intended to regulate the cultivation of cannabis plant, extraction, refining, manufacturing and sale of derivatives of the plant for medicinal and industrial use.

“I must appreciate that the committee meticulously reviewed the bill under the leadership of Chairman Committee, Senator Kamil Ali Agha and all lacunas have been removed and I thank all the committee members for their input,” he said.

Tarar briefed the House that the narcotics control operations was devolved but the subject matter of the Bill was regarding regulatory body monitoring manufacturing and control of Cannabis plant which was under the international protocols ratified by the country.

The legislation, he said was already debated in the National Assembly and by members of all political parties in the Senate.

He urged the Chair that the Bill should be taken clause by clause so that all concerns and amendments should be incorporated.

The minister emphasised that there was no confusion on the establishment of the Authority and the matter was already argued in the National Assembly, adding, “It’s a state obligation under the Vienna Convention and it’s the federal phase and this activity is being done with Commerce Ministry to devise export mechanism whereas the provinces will consider the production matter as per their rules. The National Assembly has approved the Bill,” he added.

Senator Jan Muhammad of National Party argued that the Bill’s subject matter did not fall under the federal legislative list whereas it was a provincial matter. The Senate was the House of the federation with equal representation of all federating units, he added.

Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) said the Amendment should be placed to limit the Bill to the ICT jurisdiction as the provinces would devise the legislation as per their domain.

Senator Danesh Kumar of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) said the Cannabis plant regulation was globally regulated by the provinces and it should be limited to the federating units’ level.

Senator Kamran Murtaza of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan (JUIP) said there was no representation given to the provinces in the Authority.

Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Shibli Faraz said the Opposition members had proposed in the amendment to promote Islamic Banking, which was flourishing in the country.

Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Senator Kamil Ali Agha said there was security in the Islamic Banking for the capital and the saving which would be a positive initiative towards the constitutional obligation of the country to end interest-based banking.