News:2025-05-18/Policy/nepals-supreme-court-orders-the-government-to-frame-rules-for-licensed-cannabis-cultivation-for-medicinal-scie

NewsPolicy18 May 2025

Nepal's Supreme Court orders the government to frame rules for licensed cannabis cultivation for medicinal, scientific, agricultural and industrial use

The Kathmandu Post and Kantipur reported that a Supreme Court division bench of Justices Nahakul Subedi and Til Prasad Shrestha issued a mandamus order on 18 May 2025, on a writ petition filed by advocate Saroj Adhikari and others. The order directs the government to make regulations, standards and procedures within three months of receiving it and to set up a strict licensing and monitoring system for the cultivation, production, processing, storage, use, sale, distribution, import and export of cannabis for medicinal, scientific, agricultural, horticultural and industrial purposes under the Narcotic Drugs (Control) Act, 1976. On recreational use, the court said the existing law did not explicitly provide for it and drew the attention of the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers to the need for wider consultation. The full text of the verdict became public around 1 November 2026.

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PlaceKathmanduKathmanduBagmati ProvinceNepal

AgencySupreme Court of Nepal

Approximate location27.70, 85.32

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2025-05-18 Policy Nepal's Supreme Court orders the government to frame rules for licensed cannabis cultivation for medicinal, scientific, agricultural and industrial use The Kathmandu Post and Kantipur reported that a Supreme Court division bench of Justices Nahakul Subedi and Til Prasad Shrestha issued a mandamus order on 18 May 2025, on a writ petition filed by advocate Saroj Adhikari and others. The order directs the government to make regulations, standards and procedures within three months of receiving it and to set up a strict licensing and monitoring system for the cultivation, production, processing, storage, use, sale, distribution, import and export of cannabis for medicinal, scientific, agricultural, horticultural and industrial purposes under the Narcotic Drugs (Control) Act, 1976. On recreational use, the court said the existing law did not explicitly provide for it and drew the attention of the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers to the need for wider consultation. The full text of the verdict became public around 1 November 2026. https://kathmandupost.com/national/2026/11/01/supreme-court-orders-government-to-regulate-cannabis-cultivation-for-medicinal-and-industrial-use Nepal Bagmati Province Kathmandu Kathmandu 27° 42' 0.00" N, 85° 19' 12.00" E event site Supreme Court of Nepal