Goa, a popular tourist destination, is increasingly making headlines for the wrong reasons. Recently, more than 9 kg of hydroponic cannabis worth around Rs 3.20 crore was seized at Manohar International Airport. In April 2025, another 11.67 kg valued at Rs 11.67 crore was recovered. Earlier, in 2024, a hydroponic cannabis unit in Ponda was sealed by authorities. Cannabis is illegal in India, even though it is permitted for medicinal or recreational use in some countries. Hydroponic cannabis is grown without soil using sunlight and nutrient-rich water.
While this method is useful for growing vegetables like lettuce and basil, its use for cannabis cultivation is banned. Goa’s tourism and nightlife make it an easy route for smugglers, who hide drugs in luggage. Even quiet areas in Canacona are reportedly being used as transit points. Such incidents damage Goa’s image and can affect tourism. Hydroponic farming should promote health and food security, not illegal activity and social harm.
