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Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Business
Abid Hussain

Pakistan bets on a cannabis high as its economy struggles

Government estimates suggest there are nearly 28,000 hectares (70,000 acres) of cannabis plantations in Pakistan [Courtesy of Suleman Shah]

Islamabad, Pakistan – When Aamir Dhedhi took his mother to India in 2014 to get treatment for Parkinson’s disease, the doctors there advised him to procure cannabidiol (CBD) oil to help her manage her pain. It was the first time that Dhedhi, a Karachi-based entrepreneur, learned about the medicinal use of the cannabis derivative.

On returning to Pakistan, the businessman ordered a small quantity of the oil from the United States. Almost instantly, it helped calm his mother’s nerves and reduce tremors, he said. Dhedhi became a firm believer in CBD’s benefits.

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