New Delhi: A plea has been registered in the Delhi High Court seeking the decriminalization of Cannabis usage in India.
The petition was filed by Great Legislation India Movement Trust challenging the provision of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 and Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Rule, 1985 which prohibits and criminalize the use of cannabis or industrial hemp and prescribed restriction on activities related to it.
The concerned matter was listed before the division bench of Justices G.S Sistani and Jyoti Singh.
The advocates Avinash K Sharma and Ashutosh Nagar, who filed the petition for the organisation, clarified that it is not seeking to completely de-regulate the use of the drug. However, any regulations should be consistent with the requirement of "reasonable restriction".
Relying on the various scientific research paper and reports, the petitioner highlighted the various medicinal properties of cannabis.
It has also claimed that the plant is an effective analgesic and helps in cases of chronic pain, improving the motor disability scores of persons suffering from Parkinson disease etc.
It is the petitioner's case that the treatment of cannabis at par with other harmful and lethal chemicals is arbitrary, unscientific and unreasonable.
The matter is scheduled to be listed on July 29. The petitioners have been directed to implead the requisite party.
This is not the first time, that the courts have been approached on decriminalizing the use of the plant.
Recently, the Himachal Pradesh High court also ordered the government to take a decision regarding the legalization of medicinal and industrial use of the plant.
Also Read: Alld HC sends notice to PM over plea against his election from Varanasi
