Summary:
DHARAMSHALA: The Himachal Pradesh assembly on Friday passed a stringent NDPS Bill 2018 with amendments, making all offenses under the NDPS Act a non-bailable. The Bill also does not provide any relaxation in cannabis cultivation or use, which was a major point of contention raised by some MLAs.Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur moved a resolution to make amendments in the NDPS Act 1985. He said the government through this amendment just wanted to send a strong message against drugs in society and help youths stay away from the menace. They claimed cannabis has several medicinal qualities, which is why the government was planning to legalize cultivation of cannabis for medicinal use.They said there are loopholes in the Bill which can be misused in the state. It might fill up the jails with drug addicts and not drug peddlers, they added.Congress MLA Ramlal Thakur from Naina Devi said local saints, roaming babas and common citizens use cannabis in their routine life and this amendment will land all such people in jail..