• Cancer and conditions such as strokes can be cured  through ayurvedic treatment where ganja is used as a medicine

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana  

Legislation will be brought to Parliament shortly to permit the growing and export of ganja as a medicine for a number of non-communicable diseases, State Minister Sisira Jayakody said yesterday.   

• Traditional medicine has been put down by western medicine for a long time in this country

Speaking during the committee stage debate on the budget in the House he said laws will be brought in to legalise growing and export of ganja only as a medicinal product.  

“It has been proven that diseases such as cancer and conditions such as strokes can be cured through ayurvedic treatment where ganja is used as a medicine. Therefore we intend to seek the approval of the House to grow and export these plants,” the State Minister said.  

“It is time we promote ayurvedic treatment and medicines as such treatment and medicines have proven to be effective. Traditional medicine has been put down by western medicine for a long time in this country. This is despite traditional medicine having been proved to be effective even for COVID 19. The Government has already launched a programme to start up post COVID Ayurvedic treatment centres in Sri Lanka.