I recently had the opportunity of speaking with Heman Bikram Shahi. He had recently given me one of his #LegalizeNepal t-shirts. On the shirt were many old school pics from back in the 60s. I knew some of their history, especially with hash. But this shirt was telling me so much more than I knew. I had to get this guy on the phone to talk more about it. Could I have just looked it up on the internet? Sure. But where’s the fun in that? Make a phone call people, get to know your neighbors.
Ring-Ring
Shahi: Hello?
Me: Hey man. It’s John, from Dabbin-Dad.com. So my friend, tell me a little bit about your movement. I’m looking at the T shirt you gave me right now. I love the shirt and thank you for the gift. But as I look at it, I want to know more about it. Obviously, Nepal has has had a long history with hashish. Now there is a movement to legalize there, which I think is fantastic. But before we talk about the movement. One of the things I see on the shirt you gave me shows a picture that says Hotel Eden and Restaurant. This seems like a monumental place, like The Bulldog in Amsterdam. Could you tell me a little bit about that?
Shahi: Back in the 60s, the government issued licenses to small cannabis retail shops in Kathmandu. And it was a place called Freak Street where all the vendors and the shopkeepers used to be, and that’s where the Eden and Hashish center was. They were one of the government issued licensed shops. They became the most popular one and became a big player. They were just like a big dispensary, a legal dispensary, but back in the 60s. So they then became popular all over the world because they had cannabis in so many styles. And big, let’s say the father of cannabis of Nepal. And there was DB Sharma, he held the first ever sesh, it happened in Nepal. Even back in the 60s, they used to have seshes. Just like we do it here in America these days. They used to have it back in the 60s. That’s where the cafe and the culture that all transformed to Amsterdam now. That all started from Nepal back in the day. Do you know that?
Me: No, I didn’t. Okay, so what you’re saying is that the cafe/cannabis culture was something that had started in Nepal and later became the landscape of Amsterdam?
Shahi: Yes, yes, exactly. So DB Sharma was basically one of the bigger names out there who was representing the cannabis culture out there for Nepal. So the Hashish Center, we’ll be bringing it back for the 50 year anniversary at the end of 2022. A 16 days Cosmic Hashish Party for world peace. So that’s a bigger agenda and another platform we have where we’re gonna put Nepal back on the map and make this event global every year. But for right now before that, we have to like legalize some aspects of the plant in Nepal which is basically going to happen soon. We’re hoping for it. In the last few days we have had some good news saying that the government wants to go mainstream and are talking about legalizing medical cannabis in Nepal within the next four to six months. Right before the elections. So yeah, we’re hopeful, you know…
Me: So tell me what the current legal standing is right now.
Shahi: Obviously it’s not legal. It’s like crazy. Basically, it’s not even medical, there is no medical aspect of it. It’s only legal to consume cannabis one day out of the year. And that for spiritual reasons (This year was on March 1,there was one hell of a party for it in NYC) is the only day where you can legally light up a joint. But only for religious and spiritual purposes and it’s not even medical. You will get arrested and go to jail, even for small amounts. It is totally illegal.
And that’s what’s so sad about it. Since you know, we were the first version of Amsterdam, the first cannabis coffee shops of the world, the first seshes in the world. And we have all that history and were the last country back in 1973 to even sign the bill with the UN to criminalize marijuana. Nepal canceled the licenses of all cannabis shops, dealers, and farmers, under pressure from the United States and the international community. But they were the absolute last.
After so much pressure we had to, but now we want it back. And that’s what the campaign and the movement is about. I’m here on a global platform where I can represent my culture, my history, my pride, the cannabis culture, and the aspects of the plant being medicine. It’s not fair to the plant or to the people. But it’s a bigger picture, I’m doing this for humanity, for a conscious planet, and for our next generation. With the way communications are today, 5 billion people could know about this by the next day. With social media and all the other platforms out there in this world full of technology right now, it’s about time we spread the word and awareness. Even the small word can have a large stage. Many are still living with the idea of Reefer Madness all over the world.
At least here in America many recognize both the medical and economic benefits it can bring to an area.
Me: So tell me about the Hashish party for world peace that’s happening December 25 through January 1.
Shahi : The last cosmic hashish party took place in 1972. It happened for two days, it happened on 25th December, and the next party was on the first of January. Now it was 1972 and 1973. Then it was criminalized in Nepal and all the licenses were taken away.
So now, this year is the 50 year anniversary of that event and the banning of cannabis in Nepal. So we’re going to bring it back. And this time, we’re going to do it for 6 days from December 25 to January 1. And it’s for world peace and will be put on a bigger platform. We’re going to have really big names from all over the from world. Connoisseurs, growers, and celebrities are coming to attend the event. I already have a list of VIPs.
If you check out my website, go to www.legalizeNepalofficial.com I actually also have a countdown there going on on the bottom with the flyer that’s ticking right now as we speak, every second. It’s gonna be a big bang on the 25th and you know, we’re planning to do this event every year after this. Like a burning man kind of thing, except at the highest altitude in the world. But first we have to legalize the plant to make this happen. It’s already happening though, but that’s still the next chapter of the our master plan.
