Jammu to pioneer India's first cannabis medicine project undertaken by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM). The ‘Cannabis Research Project’ is the first of its kind in India and has the potential to develop high-quality medicines for neuropathies, cancer, and epilepsy, said Union Minister Jitendra Singh.
The remark was made after visiting the Cannabis Cultivation farm of CSIR-IIIM at Chatha. The project is initiated in a public-private partnership with a Canadian farm. Singh had visited the farm to get a first-hand look at cultivation techniques for cannabis in the protected area of the institution, as well as research activities on this important plant.
Speaking at a review meeting, he highlighted that the scientific agreement between CSIR-IIIM and IndusScan was historic not only for Jammu & Kashmir but for the whole of India as it has the potential to produce those kinds of medicines which have to be exported from foreign countries. Dr Jitendra Singh added that this kind of project will give an impetus for huge investment in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Since J&K and Punjab are affected by drug abuse, this kind of project will also spread awareness that this substance of abuse has diverse medicinal uses, especially for the patients suffering from malignancies and other diseases”, added the minister.
The Minister visited one hectare of Protected Areas, where CSIR-IIIM is currently undertaking large-scale cultivation for superior accession to cannabis. In addition, he has visited the glass factories with climate control equipment where studies are being carried out on improving varieties to meet the desired cannabinoid content.
Singh also pointed out that more indigenous varieties, in line with the climatic conditions of the country, need to be developed. To that end, he noted the role of biotechnology in this endeavour and encouraged researchers to push forward with scientific progress.
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