Jammu: Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said that the country’s first cannabis-based medicinal project is coming under the public-private partnership (PPP) model through an MoU with a French company in Jammu, aimed at converting substances commonly associated with narcotic abuse into export-quality medicines.
“A major step has been taken in Jammu with regard to a cannabis-based medicinal project. Under this initiative, the cannabis plant, so far largely perceived as an intoxicant, will now be used for medicinal purposes. The aim is to manufacture painkiller medicines that can assist in the treatment of cancer, diabetic neuropathy and other serious illnesses,” Singh told reporters on the sidelines of a function at IIIM here.
Describing it as a first-of-its-kind initiative, Singh said, “This will give India a new identity across the world. Export-quality medicines will be produced, and at the same time, it (the project) will send out a message that these so-called intoxicating substances are not meant only for abuse; they also possess several beneficial properties.” (PTI)
