Post the legalisation of industrial hemp in Uttarakhand, startups like Bombay Hemp Company (BOHECO) and Orissa-based HempCann Solutions are individually working on medical cannabis research for palliative care, aiming to enter the Indian market in next 3 to 4 years.Currently, BOHECO is partnering with the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, on research and discussion, as well as lab work to create medical cannabis in the form of ayurvedic medicine and phytopharmaceuticals (modern medicine).“We are working with NBRI on a genetic breeding research project.The next phase is medical cannabis research and formulation of an ayurvedic medicine in the lab which will begin in early 2017. It's only after the product is created can we approach the health ministry to sanction its commercial use and bring it into the market,“ said Avnish Pandya , co-founder of BOHECO.BOHECO is India's first hemp startup to receive commendation from state and central governments, proving the scientific efficacy of medical cannabis is the real milestone to cross.At a recent conference organised by BOHECO and CSIR-NBRI, the DCGI positively viewed the pursuance of scientific research in medical cannabis towards creating pharmaceutical products for the Indian market, but indicated that cannabis' reputation as a banned recreational drug might bring abo ut regulatory hurdles.“CSIR-NBRI are the right institution, along with these young minds to explore the pharmaceutical products that can be made from this material (cannabis) and we can also figure out a balanced approach towards this substance,“ said Dr GN Singh, DCGI (Drug Controller General of India) at I Care (India Cannabis Analysis, Research & Education) Summit 2016, a medical cannabis conference held in New Delhi.“Building a clear pathway with well-defined scientific tools will compel us as regulators to have a more lenient approach to this material. It is an important material that has been missed in the past years. We, the ministry of health, want to be able to use it appropriately for the well-being of society,“ Dr Singh said.According to Dr AKS Rawat, the head of ethnopharmacology at CSIR ­ NBRI, the widespread availability of medical cannabis in India could replace chemical alternatives for conditions like epilepsy to the topical use of the plant for skin conditions like psoriasis, besides pain relief for cancer patients.“Using medical cannabis will be an herbal alternative to existing chemical drugs in the market. Due to its widespread availability its price point will also be low. If the ayurvedic formulation and phytopharma medicine of cannabis is made commercially available in the market, it could bring in sizable revenue for the government. The question is, if a drug as harmful as opium can be used for medical purposes, why not cannabis? Side effects of this drug are primarily seen with recreational use and we are not endorsing that at all,“ added Dr Rawat.