Every third person you know, smokes. Smoking cannabis is not uncommon in India nowadays, but because of it being an illegal crop people hush about it unless anyone wants to be arrested. (LOL). Weed is a thing loved by every person, from doctors, IT professionals, designers, lawyers, businessmen, dancers, musicians, actors, housewives, EVERYONE. 

Cannabis in India has been used since as early as 2000BC. In Indian society Cannabis is widely used in the form of  ‘charas’ (resin), ‘ganja’ (flower), bhang (drink from flowers and leaves)

Acceptance Of Cannabis By Different Communities Of India

Bhang is commonly served and enjoyed during festivals like Holi and Mahashivratri (which marks the birth of Lord Shiva). Serving bhang is the most ‘legal’ way of consuming Cannabis in India. Among the Sikh Nihangs Bhang is used during a festival called ‘Holla Mohalla’, the Muslim Indian Sufis place the spirit of Khidr within the Cannabis plant and consume bhang.

In Orissa, Cannabis consumption is legal, and people consume it through ‘chillums’ Lord Shiva is known to be a consumer of the plant and is seen smoking it through chillums in a lot of paintings and images. Assam is another state in India that consumes Cannabis widely, though the plant is banned in the country, Assamese do not hesitate to consume it especially in the ‘Ambubachi Mela’.

Many states are now showing legal support to the wonderful plant like Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

How Old Is Cannabis History With India

Cannabis Sativa is an identity of the plant that was used to prepare ‘Soma’, an intoxicating ritual drink in the Vedic period, which is mentioned in the Rigveda. Atharvaveda, mentions ‘bhanga’ as one of the five sacred plants that relieve anxiety.  The plant has its roots deep within the Indian culture.  India was always aware of marijuana’s benefits. Our sadhus and Gods smoked too. No Mahashivratri is complete without a chillum; no Holi without a bhang thandai.

The world is accepting medicinal and recreational usage of Marijuana for a reason. And with the connection of it to Indian culture, people should accept it not negatively but by thinking about the deep roots of it with the History of the country.