CCRA Rules 2026 approved: Regulations allow commercial use of cannabis

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has approved the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority (Licensing) Rules, 2026, paving the way for a regulated framework governing the cultivation, production, and commercial use of cannabis for medicinal and industrial purposes.

The rules, formulated by the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority (CCRA), were vetted by the Law and Justice Division and subsequently cleared by the Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases (CCLC), according to official sources.

The Cabinet Division informed the CCLC that the CCRA had been established under Section 3 of the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority Act, 2024. The authority is mandated to regulate the cultivation of cannabis plants, as well as the extraction, refining, manufacturing, and sale of cannabis derivatives intended for medicinal and industrial use.

Under Section 20 of the Act, no individual or entity is permitted to engage in the cultivation, production, manufacturing, product development, or sale of cannabis or its derivatives without obtaining a license from the Authority and complying with prescribed conditions.

Officials further stated that the draft Licensing Rules, 2026 were prepared by the CCRA with the approval of its Board and subsequently forwarded to the Law and Justice Division for vetting. The division endorsed the draft rules, subject to amendments, and recommended the deletion of Rules 23, 24, and 25 on the grounds that they either duplicated provisions already contained in the parent Act or conferred substantive powers that could not be included in subordinate legislation.

The revised draft, incorporating these amendments, was then presented to the CCLC for consideration.

The Cabinet Division also highlighted that Section 31 of the Act empowers the federal government to frame rules within six months of the Act’s commencement, on the recommendation of the Authority. These rules may cover a wide range of matters, including protocols for the disposal or destruction of illegal cannabis, policy guidelines, conditions governing import and export, and other ancillary matters necessary to implement the Act.

The law further requires that draft rules be published in the official Gazette to invite public feedback for a minimum period of 15 days. In compliance with this requirement, the draft Licensing Rules, 2026 were published through SRO 454(I)/2026 dated March 4, 2026. However, no public comments were received during the stipulated period.

Following this process, the Cabinet Division submitted the draft rules to the CCLC for final approval.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026