Nepal's History of Hemp

Hemp was an essential crop for the people of the small Himalayan nation for the ages. The land of the rugged terrain was not an ideal place for the cultivation of different varieties of crops; however, the land was and is still known for its green cover. In prehistoric times, trade and commerce weren’t the main economic activity in this land, the people were mostly focused on agriculture. The people were growing various types of crops all over the country which included grains, vegetables, and cash crops.

Agriculture was solely based on the organic method. Agriculture was dependent on the natural cycle of climatic conditions. The people were simply simple and the need for import was nearly unnecessary. Life in the land was solely internal and the land was more self-sufficient. However, with the influence of different aspects of nature like the geography climate, and other factors the yields of the crops were minimal. Even after those hardships, the integrity of the people was there, fully alive. People didn’t need any of the fancy things from the west. People were eating what they were growing. The need for fancy clothing was near minimal; people were simply fine using the garments made out of local products which included animal fur.

But there has been one significant plant that had the potential to be the identity of the nation. This plant was basically the multipurpose plant that helped the people to survive the isolation from the world. This plant was the main source of the land's clothing choice. The threads, yarns, or ropes from this plant were used nationwide. There were neither textile corporations nor the fashion industry, the people were well equipped with all the necessary knowledge for utilizing the plant for its maximum benefits. There was a time when somebody had issues with digestive malfunctions and this plant would cure them.

The seed of this plant was a major part of people’s diet, and now western science is proving that the seeds are rich in omega 6 proteins. In this culture, this plant was revered for not only its medicinal benefits but for its overall benefits to the people and the environment. This particular plant is believed to be the only kind that has such a wide range of benefits to offer and which requires minimal care. This plant can grow as low as the sea level to the cold alpine regions where most of the plants struggle. And the biggest benefit of this plant was that it could be grown anywhere on the planet. It was basically the most suitable plant among the farmers.

Who would have known back then that this plant which was the friend of humanity would turn out to be the foe? In the 60s the western world was discovering this small Himalayan culture and was fascinated by it. People from all over the world were rushing to witness this land and the Himalayan Kingdom was in the spotlight. Even the celebrities of then were talking about this country.

A song by Bob Seger released in 1975 clearly indicates the craze of the people wanting to visit this country. There even is a rumor about the great Jimmy Hendrix visiting this land. As the world might know this era as the hippie era, but for the people of this Himalayan nation, it was supposed to be the era of the Tourism boom. The number of tourists visiting this country was rising significantly. The people referred to this land as the Shangri-La. The monarch during the time was not restrictive to the hippies and they were allowed to enjoy their life freely. But the western world didn’t seem to be happy about the peace and freedom-seeking culture.

As then-President Richard Nixon declared “drug usage” as America’s public enemy number one, the plant had no chance to stand against such a powerful force. At first, the King of Nepal was against banning the cultivation and usage of Hemp as it was the major source of people's economy. But different sanctions and pressure from the white world were so strong that the browns had to fall on their knees. Since then the plant has been burned, squished, criminalized, abused and many other things.

Farms were destroyed, and people's tears were none of anyone’s business as we can still see the results. The far western region was mostly affected by this prohibition and the livelihood of the people in this region has gone from bad to worse. thinks about the well-being of the nation and its citizens so that the people will have similar thoughts on the authority.

There was a time when people didn’t want to leave the country for anything, but now the culture has transformed and the idea of a bright future in the country is foreign employment. There are millions of youths working in unfair conditions in various parts of the world, majority being in the Middle Eastern Gulf. There are millions aspiring to seek foreign employment, and the government doesn’t seem keen on solving these issues. However, there are people in the country who have a vision for a self-sustainable economy in the country.

Why would a person choose to leave this wonderful place for a concrete jungle? A one-word answer would be “Money”. But is there any alternative that might be interesting enough for the youths to drop the idea of foreign employment? There are many, but everyone needs to seek one. As for right now, the same country which demonized this plant seems to be benefiting from this plant, as several states in North America have legalized the plant for medicinal, industrial, and recreational use.

But here in this land the main plant which introduced this country to the world, policemen are destroying the Herb with machetes and the authority seems to be proud of confiscation of cannabis products and the user. The taboo has been set up in the society that if there’s any crime then it must have been because of the plant. The old policies and the politicians don’t seem to recognize the potential for economic growth this plant holds. On the other hand, millions of youths are trying to escape this open prison and seek for bright future while the key to the bright future is here in the Himalayas.

A government cannot be too ignorant to kick in the stomach of a farmer. A person abusing a substance is mere their personal choice, but trying to eliminate the Herb from the earth seems like trying to wet the desert by peeing on it. If a person wants to spend the rest of his life smoking a herb, then it should not be national agenda. But the national agenda should be more liberal, where the authority cares about the lives of common citizens.

Well, the usage and applications of this plant aren’t new and we all know that. The major geographical condition of the country is such that the cost to yield ratio is not practical. But Hemp being the Godly plant as it is, this plant can be the ideal cash crop for the majority of farmers. The plant can withstand extreme climatic conditions and can be cultivated at a low cost. But the plant is a multipurpose crop that can be a source of food, shelter, and medicine. As the world is trying to overcome the tragedy and trying to be self-sustainable, this plant seems to be the perfect choice for the Government of Nepal to think about.

It’s time for the authority to realize their mistake and decriminalize this plant and make this plant available to every house in Nepal. This will help not only the unfair foreign employment but will also help bring trust and harmony among the authority and the people of the country.

It’s been a long since the world is in lockdown. Many have lost lives, more have lost their jobs. The economy is in turmoil so is the nation. For a country like ours where the majority of income is from foreign employment, it is time for us to wake up. We have been running by the ideas of the west, maybe it's time to think from our own point of view. It was the western idea that this plant was demonized in such a way that today people don’t want to talk about this plant. But today the west is slowly changing its view toward this plant and using it to its benefit.

Different medicinal and therapeutic values have been researched and papers have been published. The economic turnovers in the legal states are massive. Different companies are patenting different cannabis products. But the place where the plant grows naturally with minimal care can’t even grow a plant for personal use. The ancient knowledge in the scriptures was there which describes the Cannabis plant as the King of Herbs. The Atharva Veda, Sushruta Samhita, and Bhaav Prakash are some ancient Sanskrit literature where the cannabis plant and the method of preparing medicine have been described in detail.

It seems that we have enough knowledge of the plant. Now the pandemic hit the world is struggling for creating new jobs. And our country is also a desperate one as many youths who have lost their jobs abroad are also going to be back home. Since there has not been any sincere effort by the country maybe this is the time for the youths to rise up. It’s time for us to think smartly, what if the government brings a policy that will allow the citizens to earn a decent amount of income in the country?

What if we could make the government take this suggestion seriously? The question is Do we want this? If we want this then it’s time for us to push for the decriminalization of Hemp. There is a bill pending in the parliament for the legalization of cultivating the crop. But the bill seems to be rather controlling and out of reach for a common farmer to benefit from it. The name of the bill itself is rather unpleasant, it would be a better idea to name the plant with a proper name but instead, they have used the slang term for the plant.

In the scriptures, there are about 50 names that are descriptive of the quality. For example, in Sanskrit, the name given to this plant is BhangA which means A Splitter. It describes the quality of this plant which splits the mental burden from oneself. The bill hasn’t been passed yet and the country is still facing the ongoing pandemic. People are locked back home, unemployed, and looking for an alternative. Meanwhile, there is a clear picture ahead of what the government needs to do, which is to reverse the law which was forced on this country forty years ago by the American Government.

Now many states have legalized and decriminalized this plant. A report of Canada in 2019 states that in 7 months the sales of cannabis were around $524 million. Once the bill is passed then the employment market in the Cannabis Industry will open up with great opportunities. There is no clear estimate but the range of jobs from a farmer to a scientist will fill the people who have lost their jobs due to the COVID19 pandemic. The barren lands in the mountains will be produced which will even help the most rural part of the country to be economically stable. People can choose to stay here in Nepal rather than in the gulf of the middle east.