The debate over legalising ganja: Understanding either sides

Legalise ganja. The connecting string between the late and former Chief Minister W Nipamacha and current Chief Minister N Biren can be seen. In between the two personalities, there have been Radhabinod Koijam and O Ibobi who holds the record of the longest serving Chief Minister of fifteen years on the trot. Not yet clear how the different civil society organisations will take the idea mooted by the Chief Minister to legalise cannabis or ganja, but this is definitely a bold move to improve the economic condition of the State. Interesting to note too that the ganja of Manipur is supposed to be of good quality and in high demand amongst users, who do it for recreation purposes and to go on a trip. Legalise it for medicinal and industrial purposes, is the line adopted by the Chief Minister and if the various civil society organisations are to be taken along, then it becomes important to take all on board and explain in details the medical and industrial use it may be put to. This is where the State Government will need to reach out to all concerned, go about the task scientifically and yes convince all that there will be safeguards to ensure that ganja or cannabis is not abused for getting a high. The concerns of CSOs and the objective of the State Government need not necessarily be on opposing ends and an approach that serves the purpose of the Government and respecting the stand of the CSOs need to be adopted.
To earn revenue and put to good use the high quality ganja, is the line that the State Government has adopted. As noted earlier here, a lot will depend on how the State Government intends to go about putting in place the process to extract the medicinal and industrial purposes positively and effectively. This is where the sincerity and honesty of Government employees will be tested. Interesting to note too that the proposal of the Chief Minister has come at this point of time, when there is a serious discussion and debate  on legalising sale of alcohol in the State is on. Being a dry State, has not meant that alcohol consumption has decreased, is the line adopted by those who favour abolishing the dry State tag on Manipur. Certainly alcohol consumption has not decreased since Manipur was declared a dry State more than 20 years back, and this is one line of argument used by those who want prohibition to go. And it stands that prohibition anywhere in the world has not been a success and lifting prohibition, is one way to regulate the sale of alcohol, is another line of argument. Here again it is important for the State Government and all those who stand by the belief that prohibition should go, to take everyone along with their line of thinking. That alcohol has taken its toll on the people here is a truism and it also stands that many families have been ravaged by abuse of alcohol. This is precisely the reason why there is a strong anti-alcohol lobby in the State.