Movement to Legalise Cannabis - Sri Lankan Context: Legislation Attempts and Relevant Actors

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Summary

  • According to Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, cultivation of cannabis without a license obtained from the Minister of Health is prohibited in Sri Lanka. However, the Government of Sri Lanka approved a project to cultivate cannabis for export purposes in 2025.
  • Previously, different governments attempted to legalise cannabis cultivation on several occasions since 2007. Those attempts were withdrawn because of objections from health professionals, religious leaders, and civil societies.
  • This page summarises details of cannabis legalisation attempts during different governments in Sri Lanka, as per the information available in the public domain.

This is the second page of our two-page series on cannabis industry published to commemorate the 200th page of TobaccoUnmasked website. Please visit the first page – Movement to Legalise Cannabis: The Global Context to have a comprehensive overview on the topic.

Background

In Sri Lanka, cannabis is known by many names such as ‘‘Ganja’’, ‘‘Kansa’’, marijuana, weed, pot, or joints. The legal status of cannabis in Sri Lanka is presented in the table below: Table 1: Summary of legal status of cannabis in Sri Lanka

Legal document Authority Regulations on cannabis
Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (No. 17 of 1929) and its amendments (No. 26 of 1986 and No. 41 of 2022) National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB)
  • Hemp pods, leaves, flowers or any part of Cannabis plant should not be either imported or exported; no person shall collect, prepare, process, sell or offer for sale, manufacture, store, obtain or have in his possession, consume, distribute or use and any preparation from hemp plant.
  • Cultivation of cannabis plant without a license obtained from the Minister of Health is prohibited.[1][2]
Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances Act (No. 1 of 2008) Precursor Control Authority (PCA) Division, National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB)
  • Cannabis classified as a narcotic drug
  • “Any person who, whether in or outside Sri Lanka, and whether he is a citizen of Sri Lanka or not, intentionally produces, manufactures, extracts, prepares, offers, offers for sale, distributes, sells, delivers, acts as broker for the supply of, dispatches, dispatches in transit, transports, imports or exports or traffics any narcotic drugs”, “the unlawful cultivation, production or manufacture of, any narcotic drug” and “possesses or purchases any narcotic drug” is offence.[3]
Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961 National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB)
  • Recommends “to seize any plants illicitly cultivated and to destroy them, except for small quantities required by the Party for scientific or research purposes”.[4]
Ayurveda (Amendment) Act, No. 19 of 2023 Commissioner General of Ayurveda
  • There is no direct regulation on cannabis.
  • Cannabis was included in the list of medicinal plants as declared by the Ayurveda Code for Ayurveda Medicine and Surgery Regulations, 2024.[5]
  • Enacted the registration of “herbal cultivations and herbal gardens for research and extension”. [6][7]
  • Herbal cultivation defined as “the cultivation of any medicinal plants for Ayurveda purposes as prescribed in the Ayurveda Code and shall include crop harvest or residual of such growth used for any commercial purposes”.[6]
  • Herbal gardens for research and extension defined as “a dedicated space devoted to grow medicinal plants for research purposes, either by the Department of Ayurveda or a person registered for such purposes under this Act”.[6]

Attempts to legalise cannabis cultivation during different governments in Sri Lanka

Year 2004 to 2010

  • Government – The 6th Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic (DSR) of Sri Lanka[8]
  • Head of State - Mahinda Rajapaksa[9]
  • Ruling Party – United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (Eksath Janatha Nidahas Sandhanaya)[10]
  • Attempts – Mentioned in the Table below.

Table 2: Summary of involvement of representatives in 6th Parliament in promoting cannabis

Timeline Individuals involved and background Attempt Remarks
August 2007 Tissa Karalliyadda – Minister of Indigenous Medicine[11]
  • Tabled a request to the parliament to assign 35 acres of land in Madawachchiya (Anuradhapura District) to the Department of Ayurveda to cultivate medicinal plants including cannabis.
  • Requested permission for Ayurvedic practitioners to cultivate cannabis.[12]
  • In 2016, Bimal Rathnayake, then Member of Parliament questioned about this project in the parliament. Rajitha Senaratne, then Minister of Health replied that the project was discontinued.[13]

Year 2010 to 2015

  • Government – The 7th Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic (DSR) of Sri Lanka[8]
  • Head of State - Mahinda Rajapaksa[9]
  • Ruling Party – United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (Eksath Janatha Nidahas Sandhanaya)[14]
  • Attempts – Mentioned in the table below.

Table 3: Summary of involvement of representatives in 7th Parliament in promoting cannabis

Timeline Individuals involved and background Attempt Remarks
December 2013 Salinda Dissanayake - Minister of Indigenous Medicine[15]
  • Media reported that he is to present a bill to the Parliament to lift the ban on cannabis to use it as a medicine.[16][12][17]
  • Ravi Karunanayake, Member of Parliament, questioned regarding the proposed bill quoting a newspaper article titled “Bill on Marijuana to Parliament" published in a national newspaper (‘The Sunday Times’) on 15 December 2013.[18]
  • No record was found on a response to that query or of a presented bill in the parliamentary Hansard records.
August 2014
  • At the 16th meeting of Consultative Committee on Indigenous Medicine held on 20th August 2014, he stated that a cabinet paper was submitted to grant permission to the Ayurvedic Drugs Corporation to import medicinal cannabis.
  • It is mentioned that in the minutes of the meeting, the Chairman of Ayurvedic Drugs Corporation responded to the minister’s question stating that there is a possibility of cannabis cultivation in Nuwara Eliya District. However, no further reports are available on the matter in the public domain.[19]

Year 2015 to 2020

Table 4: Summary of involvement of representatives in 8th Parliament in promoting cannabis

Timeline Individuals involved and background Attempt Remarks
January 2016 Rajitha Senaratne - Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine. Please see our page on Rajitha Senaratne for more details.
  • Mentioned a plan to cultivate cannabis for medicinal purposes several times at certain public events. These occasions included an opening ceremony of an Ayurvedic Resort and a Spa of a private Aurvedic pharmaceutical company, an event organised by the Sri Lanka Ayurvedic Drugs Corporation, and an Ayurvedic product launch.[23]
  • At a divisional coordination meeting held on 14th August 2016 he instructed the police, according to media reports, to take immediate measures to bring the illicit Indian Cannabis trade that operates with the help of corrupt police officers and politicians to an end.[24]
September 2018
  • Presented a cabinet paper on cannabis cultivation in 2018[25]
  • It didn’t get the approval due to wide criticism from religious leaders, health advocates, and the general public.[26]
November 2022 -
September 2017 S B Dissanayake - Minister of Social Empowerment, Welfare and Kandyan Heritage. Please see our page on S B Dissanayake for more details.
  • Mentioned promotion of making cannabis products as a means for self-employment at a public event in Kandy.[28]
 -
February 2018 Buddhika Pathirana - Member of Parliament (opposition)
  • Opposed changing the laws to legalise cannabis and suggested instead to grant permission with limitations to cultivate cannabis to registered indigenous medical practitioners.[29]
  • On 8 October 2020, he questioned the permission given to outsiders to distribute the book “Thrilokyawijaya (ත්‍රෛලෝක්‍යවිජයා)”, a book on cannabis authored by Wasantha Sena Welange, to the Members of Parliament.[30]
July 2019 Thushara Indunil Amarasena - Member of Parliament (opposition)
  • Suggested to cultivate cannabis under security as an export crop to earn foreign exchange[31]
 -

Year 2020 to 2022

  • Government – The 9th Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (First Phase)[32]
  • Head of State - Gotabaya Rajapaksa [33]
  • Ruling Party – Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna[34]
  • Attempts – Mentioned in the Table below.

Table 5: Summary of involvement of representatives in 9th Parliament (Phase 1) in promoting cannabis

Timeline Individuals involved and background Attempt Remarks
August 2020 Bandula Gunawarden - Minister of Trade. Please visit our page on Bandula Gunawardena for more details.
  • On 30th August 2020, advocated for cultivating cannabis as an export product at a conference in a state-owned “green” university (NSBM Green University).[35]
  • Stated the possibility of earning foreign exchange through cannabis cultivation at a public event in Colombo[36]
 -
September 2020
  • Media reported that the Minister had a discussion with the Canadian High Commissioner David McKinan on exporting non-traditional products to Canada (Image 1).[37] The photograph published about the discussion in the official Facebook page of Minister Gunawardena included the “Thrilokyawijaya (ත්රෛලෝක්යවිජයා)” book written by Wasantha Sena Weliange.
October 2020
  • He showed the “Thrilokyawijaya (ත්රෛලෝක්යවිජයා)” book of Weliange to the viewers during a TV programme and mentioned cannabis as a way of earning foreign exchange.[38]
  • In September 2020, Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) and Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists issued media statements urging the government not to legalise cannabis cultivation.[39][40]
  • On 7 October 2020, Rohan Weliwita, Media Secretary to the Prime Minister, issued a press release quoting a statement of then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at the parliament responding to a question raised by the MP Buddhika Pathirana mentioning that the government has taken steps to combat promotion of cannabis and other drugs.[41]
February 2021 Gotabaya Rajapaksa – President. Please visit our page on Gotabaya Rajapaksa for more details.
  • Accepted the book (draft policy proposal) on cannabis written by Wasantha Sena Weliange at a Gama Samaga Pilisandara event (a series of discussions between the President and rural communities) on 1 February 2021.[42]
  • Media reported that the President responded saying “A policy decision has to be made in this regard, and a policy will have to be formulated”.[43]
April 2021 Diana Gamage - Member of Parliament. Please visit our page on Diana Gamage for more details. /State Minister of Tourism (from 8 September 2022)
  • Proposed to legalise cannabis cultivation and to export cannabis for medicinal uses on 20 April 2021 at the Parliament.
  • Stated cannabis cultivation as a method to earn foreign exchange.[44]
 -
November 2021
  • On 16 November 2021at the Parliament, she proposed to legalise cannabis cultivation and to export cannabis generating foreign exchange as an alternative to obtaining support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to resolve the foreign debt crisis in Sri Lanka.[45][46]
 -
December 2021
  • Proposed to expedite the legislation procedure for cannabis cultivation as an herbal and export product at the parliament on 7 December 2021.[47]
 -
December 2021 Janaka Wakkumbura – State Minister of export promotion
  • Accepted and praised the proposal made by Diana Gamage to legalise cannabis and to cultivate it as an export product with government support.[48][49]
  • Stated that he expects to make legislation to cultivate cannabis with the help of the Army under government support to provide the required quantity for the Department of Ayurveda and to subsequently export the excess.[49]

Year 2022 to 2024

  • Government - 9th Parliament of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Second Phase)[50]
  • Head of State - Ranil Wickremasinghe[51]
  • Ruling Party – Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna[52]
  • Attempts – Mentioned in the Table below

Table 6: Summary of involvement of representatives in 9th Parliament (section 2) in promoting cannabis

Timeline Individuals involved and background Attempt Remarks
October 2022 Diana Gamage - State Minister of Tourism (from 8 September 2022). Please visit our page on Diana Gamage for more details.
  • Promoted cannabis related products speaking to mass media.[53]
 -
October 2022 Wimal Weerawansa - Minister of Industries. Please visit our page on Wimal Weerawansa for more details.
  • Spoke positively about cannabis cultivation at an event of launching a range of Kithul related products on 14 December 2021.[54][55][56]
  • Accepted the book “Thrilokyawijaya (ත්‍රෛලෝක්‍යවිජයා)” presented by Weliange.[57]
November 2022 Ranil Wickremasinghe - President and Minister of Finance. Please visit our page on Ranil Wickremasinghe for more details.
  • Proposed to establish an expert committee to explore the possibilities of cannabis cultivation for export purposes during the budget speech 2023 on 14 November 2022.[58]
  • As he proposed, the Parliamentary committee and the expert committee were established. Religious leaders, medical professionals and civil society opposed the government plan to cultivate cannabis for export.[59]
October 2022 Sisira Jayakody - State Minister of Indigenous Medicine. Please visit our page on Sisira Jayakody for more details.
  • Submitted the cabinet paper to grant approval of cannabis cultivation for export.[60]
  • Accepted the book “Thrilokyawijaya (ත්රෛලෝක්යවිජයා” presented by Weliange.[61]
September 2023
  • Amended the Ayurvedic Act to cultivate cannabis for medicinal purposes[62]
  • In July 2024, then Chairman of the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB) opposed the government’s decision warning that this move would be the first step in legalising cannabis for recreational purposes.[63]
August 2024 Dilum Amunugama - State Minister for Investment Promotion
  • In a media briefing, he announced that 30 investors have expressed their interest in cannabis cultivation as an export product.[64][65]
  • They have received 30 applications which were being processed by a committee comprised of representatives from the Department of Ayurveda and the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI).[64][65]
  • The land allocation for the cultivation was reportedly in Mirigama and Kandy. [64][65]
  • The export products were said to range from CBD/oil extraction to “any final product introduced by the investor”.[64][65]


Image 1: Minister Gunawardena meeting Canadian High Commissioner.[37]

Year 2024 to Present (2025)

  • Government – The 10th Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka[66]
  • Head of State - Anura Kumara Dissanayake[67]
  • Ruling Party – Jathika Jana Balawegaya[68]
  • Attempts – Mentioned in the Table below.

Table 7: Summary of involvement of representatives in 10th Parliament in promoting cannabis

Timeline Individuals involved and background Attempt Remarks
August 2025 Nalinda Jayatissa - Minister of Health and Mass media and the Cabinet Spokesman
  • Announced the government’s plan to cultivate cannabis for exportation with seven foreign investors
November 2025
  • Stated that the cultivation of cannabis in the industrial zone will be solely for export with no possibility of these products entering the local market.[73]
  • Responding to a question by a journalist at the government press briefing on Cabinet decisions on 5 November 2025, he claimed there was no conflict between this cultivation and the government’s programme to eradicate dangerous narcotics. [73] .
 -
August 2025 Mahinda Jayasinghe – Deputy Minister of Labour
  • Stated that the government proposal to cultivate cannabis in the industrial zone, Mirigama was still in the initial stage.[74]
  • Stated that there are many conditions for the cultivation including the deposit of USD 2 million by the investors and a ban on exporting as a raw material. He further stated that if this proposal is implemented it will not cause the harm that otherwise would have caused if implemented by the previous governments, because now it is limited to the industrial zone and to export only.
 -
August 2025 Diana Gamage – Former State Minister of Tourism. Please visit our page on Diana Gamage for more details.
  • Praised the government led by Anura Kumara Dissanayake for allowing the cultivation of cannabis as an export crop.[75][76]
  • Stated that the cannabis cultivation has a USD 1 trillion market worldwide.[77]
  • In a TV interview, she revealed that five temporary licenses had been issued by the former Ayurvedic Commissioner to cultivate cannabis.[77]
  • She further stated that some officials and politicians of the previous government had previously allocated their personal lands for cannabis cultivation .[77]
August 2025 Nalin Bandara Jayamaha – Member of Parliament (opposition)
  • In the Parliament, he expressed his agreement to cultivate cannabis, stating “I personally don’t oppose plans to cultivate cannabis if it brings investments into the country”.[78]
  • He stated that he only opposes the government’s plan to cultivate cannabis in an export processing zone in Mirigama and suggested to shift it to Wellawaya and Pahala Uva. These are regions in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka, where illegal cultivation of cannabis is prevalent.[79]
  • Further, he said that the lands in export zones closer to Colombo should be developed and given to investors targeting other exports.[80]
November 2025 Hansaka Wijemuni - Deputy Minister of Health
  • Stated that the government plans to open cannabis cultivation opportunity for local investors as well.[81]
  • He further stated that the selected seven foreign investors will sign the Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) at the end of 2025, and the cultivation will start in 2026.[81]

Individuals and Organisations who Publicly Supported Legalising Cannabis in Sri Lanka

Wasantha Sena Weliange

  • In August 2017, Wasantha Weliange published a book on cannabis in Sinhala, titled “Thrilokyawijaya (ත්‍රෛලෝක්‍යවිජයා)”. Weliange, a Sri Lankan employed by a Nigerian University for the preceding five years, claimed he wanted to “give cannabis the right place” suggesting that “Sri Lanka should decide on starting cannabis production”. The book launching ceremony with the attendance of prominent persons from entertainment and media industries received wide coverage in national and social media (Image 2).[82][83][84][85]
Image 2: The author Weliange, presenting the book on Cannabis to a famous musician in Sri Lanka (Nadeeka Guruge) in the book launch.[86]
  • Weliange presented copies of the book to many Parliamentarians including Wimal Weerawansa, Sisira Jayakody and Mahinda Rajapaksa.[87]
  • On 1 February 2021, Weliange advocated for cannabis legalisation at a Gama Samaga Pilisandara event (a series of discussions between the President and rural communities that were organised by the President’s Secretariat during the time) to the then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He highlighted the medicinal value of cannabis and barriers faced by cannabis cultivators in Monaragala district. He also presented another book he wrote (draft policy proposal) to the then President at this event. Media reported that the President responded saying “A policy decision has to be made in this regard, and a policy will have to be formulated”.[88][89]
  • On 7 September 2021, Weliange wrote a letter to Keheliya Rambukwella, the then Minister of Heath, requesting permission to cultivate cannabis for research purposes. Along with the letter, he attached the research proposal, which mentioned that he expected to explore the physical and chemical properties of local cannabis and the industrial hemp. The letter was copied to many ministers and government officials including Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Bandula Gunawardene, Sisira Jayakoday, Wimal Weerawansa, the Divisional Secretariat of Thanamalvila, and the Police Officer in Charge at Thanamalvila.[90]No details available about the response to the letter in the public domain.
  • Media reported that Police arrested Weliange on 20 October 2021 for cultivating cannabis for research without a license.[91]
  • Weliange was appointed a member to the expert committee to explore the possibility of cultivating cannabis for export by the then President Ranil Wickremasinghe in a letter dated on 20 December 2022.[92]
  • A group led by Weliange contested at the Parliamentary election held in 2024, representing Independence Group 1 from the Monaragala district (Image 3). During the campaign, his main agenda was lifting the ban on cannabis as per his social media accounts. Monaragala is a district in the dry zone of Sri Lanka known to have large areas of illegally grown cannabis.[93]
Image 3: A promotional banner of the Independence group 1 for Parliamentary election 2024, mentioning lifting the ban on cannabis[93]
  • In January 2025, Weliange stated in his Facebook profile that he mailed “Cannabis Development Board” book to ten Parliamentarians including the President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Minister of Health Nalinda Jayatissa, and Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunnatti.[96] A subsequent Facebook post featured a response from DMJK Disssanayake, the Director (Development Section 3), standing in for the Secretary to the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development. . The letter addressed to Waliange dated 16 January 2025 and titled “Introducing Cannabis Economy” requested to submit a summary report on the book and the expectations.[97] Following the submission of the report, Weliange has requested a discussion for an hour with the relevant individuals from the ministry and they have agreed to it.[98]
  • Weliange has repeatedly promoted cannabis cultivation and its products via social media, especially on Facebook and YouTube. The profile pictures and cover photos of his social media accounts prominently feature cannabis.[99][100]

Chinthana Dharmadasa

He is a movie director, author, screenwriter, and a creative director who promoted tobacco and alcohol in his media productions and over social media. He advocated for cannabis legalisation in Sri Lanka and appreciated the politician who supported it.[101]

In 2017, he attended the book launch of “Thrilokyawijaya (ත්‍රෛලෝක්‍යවිජයා)” and spoke positively about cannabis stating that it was the USA that historically initiated making cannabis use illegal. He further declared that cannabis use should be legalised and destigmatised in Sri Lanka.[102] Dharmadasa stated that he cultivates cannabis in a few of his YouTube interviews and that he would legalise cannabis if he were to become the president of Sri Lanka. His Facebook profile has large number of posts that directly and indirectly promote cannabis (Image 4). Please visit our page on Chinthana Dharmadasa for more details.

[[Image: Cannabispromotion1.jpg|400px|thumb|center| Image 4: An excerpt from the Facebook page of Chinthana Dharmadasa. promotional banner of Independence group 1 for Parliamentary election 2024, which mentioned the lifting ban on cannabis[103]

The All Ceylon Indigenous Medical Association

All Ceylon Indigenous Medical Association requested to amend the existing laws on cannabis keeping with the decision made by the United Nations to remove cannabis from the list of harmful drugs. They further urged to strengthen the economy by legalising cannabis related products including medicines at the press conference held in Colombo.[104] Background details of this Association are not available in the public domain. The only media appearance of them up to now was during this campaigning for cannabis legalisation.

Sri Lanka Indigenous Medicine Confederation

In January 2021, the Sri Lanka Indigenous Medicine Confederation organised a press conference to urge the government to legalise cannabis to promote indigenous medicine. They mentioned that the indigenous medical practitioners are giving up the preparation of certain medicines due to shortage of cannabis. They further explained the use of cannabis as a spice to promote the health of people.[105]

Venerable Bengamuwe Nalaka Thero

Bengamuwe Nalaka Thero, the Chairman of Sri Lanka Indigenous Medicine Confederation stated that use of cannabis should be legalised as it is required for the preparation of certain medicines and to promote the indigenous medical practices. He mentioned that the indigenous medical practitioners have given up the production of some medicines that use cannabis as an ingredient, due to unavailability of it. He further described referring Tripitaka that the use of cannabis to prepare cannabis-infused robes as a cure for some illnesses and body pains. He stated these at a press conference held in January 2021 organised by the Sri Lanka Indigenous Medicine Confederation.[106] Further, he requested permission to cultivate cannabis to supply to indigenous physicians and the Department of Ayurveda.[107]

Thero requested Sisira Jayakody to legalise the cultivation of cannabis as an ayurvedic medicine with a valid license under the Department of Ayurveda in order to earn foreign exchange. He further proposed to forfeit the illegally grown cannabis and to hand over it to the Department of Ayurveda for medicinal preparations. He made this statement at the event where Sisira Jayakody took office as the State Minister of Indigenous Medicine in August 2020.[108]

According to the Annual Report of Ayurveda Medical Council 2021, Bengamuwe Nalaka Thero, was a member of the council at that time from 7 October 2021.[109]

Social Democratic Party of Sri Lanka

Social Democratic Party of Sri Lanka is a recognised political party led by Rohan Pallewatta, who was a candidate at the Presidential election 2019.[110] In a press conference, Thusitha Balasooriya, the party Secretary requested the Government and the President to legalise cannabis for self-immunisation amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. He stated the use of cannabis in controlling and relieving symptoms of COVID-19 claiming recent global research evidence.[111][112]

Venerable Battaramulle Seelarathana Thero

In an interview conducted by ‘The Morning’ newspaper on 9 August 2024, Venerable Battaramulle Seelarathana Thero, the leader of Janasetha Peramuna and a former presidential candidate, promoted cultivation and export of cannabis in collaboration with international partners. He further stated that the government should move forward the plan to export cannabis without considering the opposition of religious leaders..[113]

Opposition against the cannabis legalisation

During each attempt to legalise cannabis cultivation during different governments in Sri Lanka, medical professionals, including the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA), the Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists and the College of Community Physicians in Sri Lanka, religious leaders, civil society and non-governmental organisations including Alcohol and Drug Information Center (ADIC) raised objections against those attempts through various actions such as direct communications to political leaders, media briefings, media statements and news articles.[114][115][116][117][118][119][120][121] In 2024, Shakya Nanayakkara, then Chairman of the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB), opposed the government’s decision to cultivate cannabis, and he warned this move would be the first step in legalising cannabis for recreational purpose.[122] In August 2025, the SLMA wrote a letter to His Excellency the President, urging to reverse the decision of the government to cultivate cannabis highlighting many reasons.[123]

Promotion in Social Media

Facebook and other social media are used in the campaign to legalise and commercialise cannabis in Sri Lanka. The Guardian reported that Facebook administration actively prevents cannabis promotion.[124] However, a search on Facebook on 28th August 2025 using the term ‘කංසා', meaning cannabis in local language (Sinhala), yielded a very long list of related Facebook groups (Image 5).

Image 5: Excerpt of the list of Facebook groups from a search using the term ‘කංසා'. Source: Facebook


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Notes

  1. ↑ National Dangerous Drug Control Board. Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs, undated, accessed September 2025
  2. ↑ Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Act, No. 41 of 2022, 23 November 2022, accessed September 2025
  3. ↑ Laws of Sri Lanka. Conventions against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 2019, accessed September 2025
  4. ↑ United Nations. Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, undated, accessed September 2025
  5. ↑ The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Extraordinary Gazette, 8 April 2024, accessed September 2025
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Ayurveda (Amendment) Act, No. 19 of 2023, 9 October 2023, accessed September 2025
  7. ↑ Parliament of Ceylon. Ayurveda Act, No. 31 of 1961, 2 June 1961, accessed September 2025
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Sri Lanka Parliament. Duration of Parliament, 08 September 2015, accessed March 2017
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Sri Lanka Parliament. Heads of State, 08 September 2015, accessed March 2017
  10. ↑ Election commission of Sri Lanka. parliamentary General Election 2004, undated, accessed August 2025
  11. ↑ Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hon. Tissa Karalliyadda, M.P., undated, accessed August 2025
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Facts and details. ILLEGAL DRUGS, CANNABIS, SMOKING AND BETEL NUT IN SRI LANKA, 2025, accessed August 2025
  13. ↑ Parliament of Sri Lanka. Parliamentary Debates, 7 October 2016, accessed August 2025
  14. ↑ Election commission of Sri Lanka. parliamentary General Election 2010, undated, accessed August 2025
  15. ↑ Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hon. Salinda Dissanayake, M.P., undated, accessed August 2025
  16. ↑ Vivo Lanka. Moves to legalise marijuana, 14 December 2023, accessed August 2025
  17. ↑ Financial Chronicle. Sri Lankan minister to propose removing ban on marijuana, 18 December 2013, accessed September 2025
  18. ↑ Parliament of Sri Lanka. Parliamentary Debates, 20 December 2013, accessed September 2025
  19. ↑ Parliament of Sri Lanka. Monthly Report of the Consultative Committees (November – 2014), November 2014, accessed September 2025
  20. ↑ Parliament of Sri Lanka. Duration of Parliament, undated, accessed April 2020
  21. ↑ Parliament of Sri Lanka. Head of State, undated, accessed April 2020
  22. ↑ Election Commission of Sri Lanka. Parliamentary Elections 2015, 2015, accessed June 2020
  23. ↑ SS Kathriarachchi. රාජිත කංසා වවයි, Ada, 04 January 2016, accessed July 2020
  24. ↑ W Kumara. කේරළ ගංජා ජාවාරම නතර කරන්න ඇමති රාජිතගෙන් උපදෙස්, Mawbima, 17 August 2017
  25. ↑ News 1st. Cannabis to be grown for ayurvedic medicine in SL, 13 September 2018, accessed August 2025
  26. ↑ Hiru News. Religious leaders oppose the promotion of cannabis cultivation (Video), 22 September 2022, accessed August 2020
  27. ↑ A Kasturiarachchi. Rajitha hails cannabis cultivation move, Ceylon Today, 21 November 2022, accessed August 2025
  28. ↑ Hiru News. Self-employment from cannabis plants - Minister SB, 13 September 2017, accessed August 2025
  29. ↑ Parliament of Sri Lanka. Order Book, 9 February 2018, accessed August 2025
  30. ↑ Z Farzan. Who brought 'Trilokavijaya' book to Parliament? Questions Buddhika Pathirana, News 1st, 8 October 2020, accessed September 2025
  31. ↑ Parliament of Sri Lanka. Parliamentary Debates, 9 July 2019, accessed August 2025
  32. ↑ Parliament of Sri Lanka. Duration of Parliament, 25 November 2024, accessed August 2025
  33. ↑ Parliament of Sri Lanka. Head of State, 24 September 2024, accessed August 2025
  34. ↑ Election Commission of Sri Lanka. Parliamentary Elections 2020, 7 August 2020, accessed August 2025
  35. ↑ Sathiya. ගංජා රට යැව්වොත් සියලු අපනයන පරාදයි – ආචාර්ය බන්දුල ගුණවර්ධන, 31 August 2020, accessed August 2020
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