Delhi to host a conference on promoting medical use of cannabis tomorrow

New Delhi: The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)’s Jammu based Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) and the Bombay Hemp Company (BOHECO) are jointly organizing a conference to promote research on cannabis and its medical uses in India, titled “Cannabis R&D in India: A Scientific, Medical & Legal Perspective,’ on 23rd November in New Delhi.

The day-long conference will see participation of prominent medical experts, policy makers and researchers, including Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region and Minister of State for Prime Minister’s Office as the Chief Guest.

Among the other prominent dignitaries expected to be present on the occasion include Dr Ram Vishwakarma, Director, CSIR-IIIM; Dr Rajendra Badwe, Director, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai; Dr Dharamvira Gandhi, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha); Dr Rajender Pal Singh, Former DDG (North Zone), Narcotics Control Bureau; Dr Sanjay Kumar, Director, CSIR-Institute  of Himalayan Bio-resource Technology; Dr Manjari Tripathi, Head (Neurology), All India Institute of Medical Sciences; and D. Anurag Srivastava, Head (Surgery), All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

The conference will be spread across three panel discussions including: (1) Cannabis in Medicine: India’s journey towards reclaiming the medicinal benefits of Cannabis and what lessons can be learned from previous efforts; (2) Domestication, cultivation and scientific interventions in Cannabis: the Indian scenario, and (3) Cannabis in Ayurveda: India’s deep-seated history with plant-based foods & medicines – what the future holds for Ayurveda / other natural forms of treatment.

Said Jahan Peston Jamas, Co-founder, Bombay Hemp Company: “The cannabis plant is a victim of misperception despite being an integral part of Indian culture. For thousands of years, it has been a trusted ingredient in the treatment of various ailments. Yet cannabis is mired in ambiguity when it comes to its application in modern healthcare. Till now, there has been limited debate in India on the medicinal, legal and scientific aspects of using cannabis-derived products as medicine. The goal of this conference is to create an environment of curiosity and discovery within the scientific community and policy makers regarding the wide-ranging industrial and medical benefits of cannabis and help establish an action plan for all stakeholders to engage actively with cannabis for potential future opportunities.”