ah, ah ah, this is the w use asia coming up today. let the good times rolled, how the stigma around this plant is changing across asia, opening up a $1000000000.00 industry and new jobs for countries like thailand, it's about returning to its roots, but easier said than done. meanwhile,

use of heroin is soaring in indian control kashmir. we made one of the few attics on the road to recovery. ah, i've been puzzling welcome. medicinal marijuana is a burgeoning industry. it's recreational use to, especially in parts of europe and north america. asia is lagging still, the pandemic has proved to be a catalyst for the adoption of cannabis. india saw a boost in usage, locked down, citizens eager to combat anxiety in indian society. this little guy actually dates back 4000 years. then came decades of damaging drug control policies. now, a lot of governments realize they can break in huge tax revenues if the business is fully legalized. competitive prices could wipe out the black market. that will

require, well thought through state regulation. thailand has been leading the way in southeast asia removing cannabis from its list of narcotics last year, effectively lifting its ban on marijuana. but without clear regulations, the legal uncertainty is dampening the thriving weed business authorities tightened some rules last month rating sauls. they say we're operating without a license that's left many worrying about how long the boom could last from sleep boutiques like this to the simplest doors. hundreds of wheat dispensaries are sprouting up across bangkok with marijuana. now essentially decriminalized, it is v opportunity to get into the business you don't need much to open the shaft and i think that encourage one who doesn't have that much copied all. aw, in westman, to be in the,

in the business. this store owner opened his dispensary after thailand, legalized marijuana cultivation, and removed cannabis from his list of bank narcotics in june. a move some criticized as hasty as lawmakers have yet to agree on how to regulate the industry . while the plant can be used for medical purposes, it's recreational use, including smoking in public is still not legal. business owners have stake their future on cannabis want more clarity on their for their you can do it. and then the next there you no longer can do it and we cannot rely on that. we need, we need a mock hello message. we need to see their plan and 5 and 10 years, not my my my the uncertainty due to an ongoing public debate over legalization pro groups pointed to lucrative cannabis market. expected

to be worth over a 1000000000 euros by 2025. but skeptics raised concerns over the social impact of legalized canopies consumption for many profits to be made. now make it worth the risk. bangkok, cityscape as already changing vendors are hopeful, the businesses are here to stay. i think there they'll find a way to and i got put it in the middle you all for the torres, lot of people use it and hopefully in the field though, really does need time to learn to adapt, that it is still new. so businesses will have to keep tiptoeing in this legal gray area until an agreement comes will not. hi, sharon is c o and founder of tier ventures which operates in medicinal field across southeast asia. just a couple years ago, cannabis position meant up to 10 years jail in thailand, and yet this is

a plant that appears in the oldest of temple scrolls tell us more about that. that's absolutely correct. then thank you for having me. it's been a part of our a cultural identity, medically, socially and you called religiously as well because it's a part of scrolls on the whole temple in terms of the formulation that goes generations of traditional medicine formulations. and finally, you know, since 2019 and the development of equalization of, of cannabis has been quite, i'd say, bring back our heritage. why then has liberalization been such a bumpy road when it comes to rules and regulations there in time?

there's a lot of factions, of course i'd say every country faces the same issue, right? because cannabis has been stigmatized since it's criminalization, you know, back in a long time ago, right. at the same time as everybody else in the world. but especially now there's a lot of factions from not only from the politics side, from the doctors, the clinicians who are from the modern medicine side. but of course, traditional medicine doctors have been proactive for support of this, this movement also on the social aspect because of there's obvious benefits this plan. it's not just on the medical side, but on the tourism side because what's highlighted is it's quite strong in our choice industry. right. and we're pushing very, very hard on the medical tourism,

which is, you know, there is, i think the fact that the data since the new years, there's been a record, a number of tourists coming to talent. and kind of hopefully can be a part of that experience. but how do you overcome the stigma? and at the same time, remind younger people of the health hazards, especially teens whose brains are still developing. honestly it's a, it's quite difficult because it's something that it used to be grown. know in the back yards of farmers you know, any families i'm, you know, they use it to, to put it in their suits as part of the food and beverage right. or whatnot. but it's very difficult to do so. i mean, the government has tried their best to, to limit no usages with, for example, under twenties or, or moms or pregnant women as well. rest feeders, you know,

these are, these are, it makes it kind of what they're trying their best. and so how much does legalization are hinge on upcoming elections when it comes to the political level? you could say it's quite a, it's a, it's going to be a big campaign for sure. because the current coalition and the party that wish the decriminalized ation of cannabis in the past campaign seems to be in a very strong position and with the upcoming elections. very soon, it seems like a lot of the discussions that we're having now and the questions that you asked earlier and that you know that it's, that's the uncertainty for sure. you know, because we all leave couple months until the,

the reelections and a lot of it's definitely hitting that and don't just one more question. can these plants bring calm to a region fearing war? subjectively, i believe it can our approach as a country for it to be but assembly but as a part of the experience, you know, with our food and beverage, i believe it can definitely bring com. it's just a matter of perspective um, but objectively with regards to the business of medicinal side, i think there's going to be different sections. you know, i was arguments from both sides. the pros and cons. is it or whatnot, but you know, i mean let's see arguments that you can see with the kind of industry as we always compare ourselves to the alcohol industry or, or cigarettes is the cost and benefits of,

of those of alcohol and cigarettes and can relax manner and i believe it can that for us, you know, there's a group progressive mindset and i believe that you know what prohibition there will always be people not following the rules. so. so if we do it right, and for the right reasons, you know, i'm sure we can use the herb in a much more how do you say tactical manner to dfcs director and entrepreneur dawn chen church of n? sorry. thank you very much for being on d. w 's asia. thank you lou will heroin addiction is skyrocketing in kashmir. the government says it's trying

to intervene, but frontline services, struggling to corp. behind the rise is a complex mix of factors. one of them being the pandemic which saw the alyssa drug crossing borders undetected. mental health is also a reason, and we're talking about a country bracht by violence in one of the world's most militarized zones. addicts, sir, said to be rich, poor employed unemployed and mostly young. but june, i am his arms bear the marks of his heroin addiction. he's from india controlled kashmir where heroine use has showed up 2000 percent over the past 5 years. according to vocal reports. or this is then malone lab work. getting heroine is very easy. name. it used to be quite difficult to get heroine. but now after coven 19th, it's widely available in you can get it anywhere, easily maneuver, facing an explosion of drug use. the kaufman has set up rehabilitation facilities to treat patients free of charge. but the centers

a working at their limit cache me is main drug rehab clinic now sees 200 patients daily up from 4 patients every day. 5 years ago. doctor said there's also an increase in female patients and addicted children as young as 10 good rider to link between mental health and substance abuse. so annoying diag, we are had go, undergone so sociable to go students from past few years, phosphorus, decades, in fact. so there had been mental health issues and i know origin and that collective sense of trauma made worse by the pandemic, and resulting economic fall out. authorities in the region seized over 80 kilo's apparel and in 2020. but experts say this is only the tip of the iceberg. and when it comes to addiction, it's the few rather than the many who are on the road to recovery or love,

probably because of my addiction. my family suffered, my parents fell ill and they had no one but me to take care of them. i thought of if i remain like this, no one will help them. so i decided to quit, come back whenever he says there are only 2 paths ahead for alex, death or rehab, and he's chosen the path though heart that's keeping him alive. small stories go to d, w dot com slash asia, or our facebook page or twitter feed. i've been presuming the same time tomorrow with every journey is full of surprises. we've gone all out to give you some tips with. i'm in your northern most count,

please. ah, 3 times longer, but still very much alive. d w, travel, you'll go to the special with recognizes where exactly. it was fun and i've learned a lot our culture history. all their d. w. travel extremely worth a visit. mm. ah, israel tech sector of times the alarm about the country is new. ultra far right government, claiming policies could made it to a cor press accident. we ask our business and politics on a collision course. also coming up, tesla shares tank again after

a disappointing financial report. the downward spiral comes amid report the lawn must have a new 2nd in command. we've got the latest from our correspondent in taipei and the digital know month are flocking to portugal to work in the sunshine, but not everyone. welcome to their arrival. this is d w business. i'm kate ferguson. thanks for joining me. we begin in israel, where business leaders have warned that the countries knew right when government could deal upload to the country, the tech industry. they're concerned about appointments, such as finance minister, but the low, low rich, who is the head of the far right and protests or religious line is partly in a recent letter sent to prime minister benjamin netanyahu. hundreds of tech leaders and investors maintained that new laws are voting and minority rights and they're missing the independence of the dish re, could deter investors under pros.