Indian law enforcement seized a total of 182,622 kg of ganja and 2,489 kg of hashish in 2016. [31] Law enforcement eradicated 1,980 hectares of illegal cannabis cultivation in 2018, less than the 3,446 hectares in 2017. The 2019 annual report of the International Narcotics Control Board noted that “India is one of the countries with the highest levels of illicit cannabis cultivation and production in the world. [32] “In Tripura, the amount of tax collection is limited. That is why we depend on the central government. The soil of Tripura is very fertile for growing cannabis, but since it is not legal, many people here suffer financially. When ganja becomes legal, it can be regulated, income can be collected, and many people involved in its hitherto illegal cultivation can benefit financially. ” – BJP MP Diba Chandra Hrangkhawl. [62] Cannabis has been known to have been consumed in India since at least 2000 BC. J.-C. [1] In Indian society, common terms for cannabis preparations are charas (resin), ganja (flower) and bhang (seeds and leaves), with Indian beverages such as bhang lassi and bhang thandai from bhang being one of the most common legal uses.

The regulation of cannabis or its bhang form began when the British became a colonial power in India. The British Parliament passed a law to tax Bhang, Ganja and Charas on the pretext of good health and reason of the natives. But the British have not criminalized its use. Legend has it that the shadow of a large cannabis plant once brought Lord Shiva relief from the scorching sun. Curious, he chewed some of his leaves and felt so strengthened that he accepted its use – hence the use of cannabis in the worship of Shiva. The plant and its forms are known by various names around the world – marijuana, Mary Jane, herb, pot, hemp and herb. In fact, there are more than 1,000 colloquial terms for humble cannabis, a plant that can be used in various forms. But in India, its most common avatars are the Trinity of Bhang, Ganja and Charas. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment`s “Magnitude of Substance Use in India 2019” survey found that 2.83% of Indians aged 10-75 (31 million people) currently consume cannabis products, with 10% of the population using cannabis “on a dependent pattern”. The survey found that 20% of the population consumed bhang and 12% consumed charas or ganja.

It was also found that most cannabis users were male, with 25% of the male population using cannabis and 10% of the female population. The survey found that cannabis use was most common in Sikkim, where 7.3% of the population reported using cannabis, followed by Nagaland (4.7%), Odisha (4.7%), Arunachal Pradesh (4.2%) and Delhi (3.8%). The lowest cannabis use was reported in Pondicherry, Kerala, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Lakshadweep, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Gujarat and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, all of which recorded around 0.1% of the population as cannabis users. [33] The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is responsible for all cannabis-related arrests in India. Until 1985, the supply and consumption of ganja was legal in India and this was a common trend, especially during religious holidays where hashish and baba herb were openly smoked. However, when the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) was passed in 1986, it made the purchase, sale and consumption of all drugs completely illegal. In Assam, the Prohibition of Assam Ganja and Bhang Prohibition Act of 1958 prohibits the sale, purchase, possession and consumption of ganja and bhang. [40] [25] In Karnataka, the Karnataka Prohibition Act of 1961 classifies ganja and bhang as “intoxicating drugs” and prohibits their manufacture, possession and consumption except for medical purposes. [42] Second, the legalization of weed would bring in much more tax revenue. It is a rich harvest, that is, a high monetary value.

In addition, jobs would be created once the government regulated them. This would lead to job creation. So a good reason for legalization is the potential economic benefits of the regulated commercial availability of marijuana. Increased tax revenues, job creation and investment opportunities are compelling reasons to support legalisation. A recent article on TOI (The Times of India) gave the exact story of the NDPS and the illegality of marijuana. Extracts – Bhang is a paste derived from grinding cannabis leaves and stems, while Ganjaâor Weedâ is stronger and made from dried flower buds of the plant. Charas, the most intoxicating of the three forms, is a resin obtained by rubbing cannabis flowers for hours; The longer it is, the better. It is often called hashish. Nizari Ismaâili militants of 11th century Persia smoked it, hence the term hashish, which is the etymological root of the word âassassinâ. The NDPS Act separately describes another cannabis product, ganja. Ganja is extracted from the flowering or fruiting part of the cannabis plant. It is this training that is commonly referred to as weed or marijuana.

Thus, although the proper legalization of marijuana use, whether recreational or medicinal, is still a long way off, people still use it. However, even the United Nations` decision to reclassify cannabis would not immediately change the way it is regulated by countries around the world. Nevertheless, the UNCND decision is expected to lead to an international protocol to legalize cannabis. Let us hope that India will soon follow in his footsteps. The British Parliament passed a tax on Bhang, Ganja and Charas in 1798, declaring that the tax was intended to reduce cannabis consumption “in the interest of the health and healthy life of the natives.” [16] In 1894, the Anglo-Indian government completed a large-scale study of cannabis in India. The report`s findings indicate that although many countries have now legalized medical marijuana, india is highly unlikely to follow similar trails. While the UN has recently taken a revolutionary step towards the legalization of weed, India`s decision is not yet to be expected. To understand the UN decision, a look at India`s relationship with the herb must be understood: “For 25 years since 1961, it has resisted American pressure to keep marijuana legal.” Since 1961, the United States has championed a global law against all drugs, both hard and soft.

Since ganja, charas and bhang were a way of life in India, we rejected the drastic measure. But by the early 80s, American society was grappling with drug problems and opinion against the “excesses” of the hippie generation had grown. In 1985, under pressure, Rajiv Gandhi`s government relented and passed a law called the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS). In March 2015, Lok Sabha MP for Dhenkanal Tathagata Satpathy said on an AMA Reddit that he supported the legalization of cannabis and also admitted to using the drug several times while in college. He then repeated his comments on television and in his interactions with the media. [46] [47] [48] On November 2, 2016, MP Dharamvir Gandhi of Lok Sabha announced that he had received parliamentary authorization to introduce a private MPs Bill to amend the NDPS Act to allow for the legalization, regulation and medical supervision of the supply of “non-synthetic” intoxicants. including cannabis and opium. [49] Currently, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS) sets out India`s cannabis regulations. Although the law prohibits the sale and use of cannabis resin and flowers, it allows the use of its seeds, stems and leaves.