Scouts launch campaign against marijuana

In an effort to clean up their schools from wild grasses and plants, Scouts went on an unusual mission – to uproot marijuana plants around the school premises.

Nearly 1,000 Scouts from different schools in Bhutan conducted series of clean-up campaigns to rid their schools of the marijuana plant. The clean-up covers not only the premises of the schools, but also its surroundings and vicinity, ensuring that no marijuana plant will grow or be tendered in the area.

The clean-up campaign started in May 2019 and will continue as the need arises. In Thimphu, Nima High School mobilised 650 Scouts for this campaign and welcomed participation from community members and some police officers. Jigme Namgyel School also did the same for their school with 86 Scouts participating.

In Jakar, 150 Scouts from Gangrithang Primary School, and community-based Scout unit Nachung Scouts banded to ensure that the marijuana plant is not within the sight of students.

Before the conduct of the clean-up campaigns, the Scouts were brief about the harmful effects of marijuana and tobacco in general, and how Scouts can combat the issues on tobacco use in their own communities and the country at large.

Cannabis, or more commonly known as marijuana is a psychoactive drug from the Cannabis plant used for medical or recreational purposes. Although it naturally grows in abundance in Bhutan due to its climate, smoking it is outlawed. 

Despite the complete ban on tobacco sales, tobacco use remains high among young people aged between 13 to 17 years old. The Bhutan Scouts Association wants to curb that out by introducing Scouting to young people, providing them with opportunities to make a good and a productive use of them time.

Since the project began, participating Scout units and their schools were able to surrender about 50 kilograms of marijuana plants to the Bhutanese government.