Medicinal cannabis use long overdue: Dr Raju
He said before that marijuana should have been legalised a long time ago for all the good intentions.
The introduction of medicinal cannabis into Fiji is long overdue and should be fast-tracked by the Coalition Government.
Nadi Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Dr Ram Raju said medicinal cannabis should have been legalised a long time ago for all the good intentions.
He said before that marijuana should have been legalised a long time ago for all the good intentions.
“The merits far outweigh the demerits. There are no demerits if the implementation and control are undertaken after thorough consultation with all the stakeholders,” Dr Raju said. Industrial marijuana or hemp can be grown in all the areas that are frequently found to grow marijuana. “We have the most fertile land and industrial hemp is known to grow relatively fast and if grown and cultivated well, the plants can be harvested up to four times a year,” he said.
Medicinal Cannabis has been introduced and legalised in many countries and it’s found to be a useful drug for various illnesses. A good number of doctors from Fiji attended the World Conference of Family Doctors in Sydney in October.
More than 4000 doctors attended this conference which was held in conjunction with the Australian College of General Practitioners meeting.
“A special showcase was dedicated to the medicinal uses of Cannabinoids or CBD. CBD is now a widely accepted and prescribed drug and there are numerous illnesses for its use. Industrial Hemp can be a perfect alternative to the tobacco industry for Fiji,” he said.
“As we all know tobacco or cigarettes are a killer and although it contributes a certain percentage to Fiji’s GDP, it will continue to be a huge burden to Fiji’s economy, accounting for over 600 million dollars in health expenditure.”
Former Nadi Town Council special administrators chair Lawrence Kumar said, “the fastgrowing marijuana can easily replace tobacco farms as well as many other agricultural areas.”