Is Marijuana Legal in Nepal?

Cannabis has been illegal in Nepal since the mid-1970s when the Narcotic Drugs (Control) Act explicitly banned its medicinal use. But the country’s long history of connection with the plant — a component of Ayurvedic medicine and an offering for the Hindu god Shiva — means many still produce and use cannabis illicitly.

Due to its illegal status, there’s no medical cannabis program in Nepal. However, the law does make exceptions for medically required quantities of cannabis in the production of medicine if the government of Nepal deems it necessary — though the qualifiers crucial for such status are unclear.

In recent years, Nepal seems to be turning a new leaf. The country’s home ministry has begun studying marijuana’s medicinal value and export potential. In 2020, the government proposed a private bill to partially legalize the plant, though changes in government have paused progress.

Medical Marijuana Laws in Nepal

Cannabis sativa has grown in the wild in Nepal since prehistoric times, and locals have considered it a gift from the gods for thousands of years. The plant’s stems, resin, oil, and leaves are used for medicinal purposes or sold, which has drawn many travelers from across the world to visit Nepal in the 1960s and 1970s. Nepali cannabis was available cheaply on Freak Street (so-called for the odd long hair of foreign hippies) in Kathmandu, and poor farmers relied on home marijuana cultivation for personal, industrial, and livelihood use.

In the 1970s, United States President Richard Nixon’s “War on Drugs” spread worldwide, and Western countries’ global prohibition movement pressured Nepal’s government to pass the Narcotics Drug Control Act in 1976. The new law defined both cannabis and medicinal cannabis as narcotics and declared any cultivation or use thereof illegal.

But cannabis was already an established part of the country’s culture, so the ban drove much cannabis use and trade underground. Nepal’s poor farmers lost an important cash crop, and those who wanted to worship Lord Shiva with his “gift” had to do so in secret.

As Nepal is heavily influenced by Hinduism, the country has a long history of cannabis use in Ayurvedic medicine, and bhang (an edible cannabis-based product made from the leaves, stems, and flowers of the female cannabis sativa plant) may be available in some regions during holidays such as Holi. Despite these factors, cannabis is still illegal in the country.

In recent years, however, the country’s attitude towards cannabis, particularly its medicinal value, has shifted (or, more accurately, shifted back again). In 2020, Nepal’s then Health Minister Birodh Khatiwada spoke out against prohibition and sponsored a private bill that would end the Narcotics Drug Control Acts’ ban on cannabis use.

Interestingly, an odd loophole in the current laws allows for medical marijuana use in extreme circumstances, but because the government enforces a blanket ban on all cannabis plants and parts thereof, it’s effectively illegal.

Changes in government have since stalled movement on the bill, but Nepal’s United Nations dignitaries backed the organization’s reclassification of marijuana as one of the most harmful drugs. Legalization in Nepal would unlock a cash crop for the country, bringing in helpful revenue in the wake of the pandemic.

What to Know About About Medical Cannabis in Nepal

You cannot access medical or recreational cannabis in Nepal. Similarly, you cannot bring it into the country. If you’re planning a visit to the area, it is recommended that you leave your cannabis (including CBD) at home, even if you have a medical marijuana card.

Cannabis Is Completely Illegal

Per Nepal’s law, cannabis use, possession, and cultivation are completely illegal and punishable by law. However, the government of Nepal allows itself or any institution operating under its supervision to obtain special cannabis cultivation and production licenses for scientific research persons.

Any individual caught consuming cannabis risks a prison sentence of up to one month and a fine of two thousand rupees (roughly $20). Fines and incarceration time increase on subsequent offenses, and those caught cultivating or possessing with the intent to sell face more severe penalties.

CBD Is Illegal in Nepal

CBD and hemp are not considered different from any part of the cannabis plant and therefore, the law lumps them in as illegal narcotics.

Can You Grow Cannabis in Nepal?

Cannabis cultivation is illegal in Nepal. Marijuana plants grow wild in many areas of the country, but anyone found cultivating or otherwise producing cannabis risks severe punishments.

The Bottom Line

While sentiment about medicinal use is changing, cannabis is still very much illegal in Nepal. The government may establish new laws in the coming years, but the future of Nepal and cannabis is uncertain.