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Current Events

Breaking news, policy shifts, enforcement actions, and active fieldwork affecting landrace cannabis populations worldwide.

Current events · Community updates · Research · Conservation

Policy & Legal Developments

New laws, court decisions, regulatory changes affecting landrace cultivation.

India – November 2024 – Himachal Pradesh High Court issues interim stay on state-wide eradication order, requiring environmental impact assessment before proceeding. Case affects cultivation across Growing Region: Western Himalayas including Kullu and Parvati valleys. Next hearing scheduled January 2025. Source
Afghanistan – October 2024 – Taliban authorities announce renewed opium and cannabis eradication campaign targeting Balkh, Badakhshan, and Takhar provinces. Implementation timeline unclear; past campaigns showed regional variation. Affects documented populations in Growing Region: Northern Afghanistan. UNODC Report
Thailand – September 2024 – Ministry of Public Health proposes amendments to 2022 decriminalization law requiring registration and THC limits. If enacted, could affect traditional cultivation in Growing Region: Northeastern Thailand and Growing Region: Northern Thailand. Public comment period extended to December 2024. Bangkok Post
Morocco – August 2024 – Parliament debates expansion of legal cannabis cultivation zones beyond current Rif region pilot program. Proposed amendments would include Eastern Atlas valleys. Status: Committee review. Growing Region: Rif Mountains / Growing Region: Eastern Atlas

Enforcement & Eradication

Active raids, crop destruction, and enforcement actions reported in the field.

Parvati Valley, India – November 18, 2024 – Multiple reports of eradication activity in Malana and Rasol areas during harvest season. Extent and specific fields affected remain unconfirmed; Zomia team monitoring situation. Related appellations: Appellation: Tosh, Appellation: Pulga. Status updates pending verification.
Phu Phan Hills, Thailand – October 12-15, 2024 – Seasonal enforcement operation in Growing Area: Phu Phan Hills resulted in reported destruction of 12+ cultivation sites across Kut Bak–Ban Phang and Si Songkhram appellations. Field-level status updates in progress. Local media
Kashmir Valley, India – September 2024 – Security forces conduct raids in Growing Area: Kashmir Valley Proper during ongoing regional tensions. Impact on traditional cultivation unclear; access to region restricted. Growing Region: Western Himalayas
Chitral District, Pakistan – August 2024 – Reports of eradication efforts in upper Growing Area: Chitral Valleys following drug control directives. Affected areas include Appellation: Upper Bumburet and surrounding valleys. Field reports pending. Growing Region: Hindu Kush

Active Fieldwork & Expeditions

Documentation work and accession collection currently in progress.

Northeast India Survey – November 2024 to January 2025 – Ongoing documentation and accession collection in Growing Area: Darjeeling Foothills and Growing Area: Terai Lowlands including Jalpaiguri and Kalimpong districts. Latest accessions: ZOM-2025-IN-047 through ZOM-2025-IN-053. Preliminary field notes documenting traditional cultivation practices and phenotype variation. Full field report expected February 2025.
Northern Thailand Assessment – December 2024 – Survey of cultivation status in Growing Area: Golden Triangle Highlands and Growing Area: Doi Inthanon Complex. Focus on post-decriminalization changes to traditional growing practices. Accession collection ongoing. Growing Region: Northern Thailand
Rif Mountains Documentation – Planned Q1 2025 – Partnership documentation project in Growing Region: Rif Mountains following 2021 legalization. Survey will assess genetic diversity across newly legal cultivation zones and document traditional kif production methods. Gene Pool: Africa

Updating This Portal

Date all entries using Month-Day-Year or Month-Year format for easy chronological tracking.
Link to hierarchy whenever possible: Growing Region, Growing Area, Appellation, Field, or Accession ID. This connects breaking news to permanent documentation.
Cite sources for external news: media reports, government announcements, court documents, field observations.
Update related pages when events affect conservation status. If an eradication event changes a Field's status to "Eradications Ongoing," update the Field page and note it here.
Archive regularly by moving entries older than 6 months to Portal:Current Events/Archive 2024 and similar subpages. Keep this portal focused on recent developments.
Distinguish confirmed vs. unconfirmed reports. Use language like "reports indicate," "unconfirmed sources," or "pending verification" when appropriate.

What belongs here? - Policy changes, new laws, court rulings - Enforcement actions, raids, eradication campaigns - Active field expeditions and documentation work - Breaking news affecting landrace populations

What goes elsewhere? - Systematic conservation status assessments → Portal:Conservation - Completed research and field reports → Portal:Research - Wiki updates and community discussions → Community Updates

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