Nepal, July 9 -- The Gandaki Provincial Assembly has unanimously passed a bill legalizing the cultivation of cannabis for medicinal and industrial purposes, paving the way for regulated commercial production in the province.

The Bill to Regulate and Manage Cannabis Cultivation for Medicinal and Industrial Purposes, 2083 was endorsed during Thursday's Assembly meeting. This is the first time that a provincial government has legalized cannabis use.

Following the bill's passage, individuals and companies will be able to obtain licenses to cultivate cannabis under a strict regulatory framework. Licenses will be issued for five years upon payment of prescribed fees, with separate provisions for medicinal and industrial cultivation.

The pr...