New Ayurveda Act will allow ‘medicinal cannabis’ cultivation

The new Ayurveda Act will grant approval for the cultivation of hemp (cannabis) for medicinal purposes, says the Minister of State for Indigenous Medicine, Sisira Jayakody.

Joining a press conference held at the Department of Government Information on Thursday, the State Minister expressed that the Ayurveda Act previously allowed only the production of Ayurvedic medicines using hemp, adding that it has now paved way for the cultivation of medicinal hemp.

However, Jayakody stated that herbal cultivation should be carried out as commercial crops, pointing out that the environment conducive to this and the necessary legal provisions have already been provided.

He also said that “a few more new professions will be registered under the Ayurveda Department in the coming weeks. Don’t confuse massage therapists, the new career field to be given registration, with spas”, he added.