Should Marijuana Be Legalised in India?

In most parts of the world, marijuana is being decriminalized or made legal but is this a good idea? Since we are on the edge of experiencing marijuana legalisation globally, we need to know every facet of it. Marijuana (Cannabis’s) leaves, seeds, stems, or roots are consumed by marijuana users to feel intoxicated. Medical marijuana, also called Marinol (Dronabinol) is a synthetic form of marijuana. Few terms like pot, hemp, herb, reefer, ganja, and marijuana refer to the substance itself. Words like joints blunt, Blackwoods, buds, or bongs refer to the way marijuana is being smoked.

New York is the largest consumer of marijuana followed by Karachi and Delhi. In my opinion, there’s no other country like India where marijuana has been such an integral part of society. A lot of research papers suggest that the medicinal benefits of marijuana can be used as a treatment against psychosis and anxiety. So why do we have so much stigma around marijuana in the country?

Pot smokers of Delhi consume 38,260 kg ganja every year, Mumbai is 6th in the ranking which consumes 32,380 kg of this on an annual basis and all of this is illegal in India. If marijuana is legalised in our country then, our government can earn a lot of revenue which might just help in boosting our GDP.

History of marijuana in India

The first question on the practice of using Marijuana for recreational purposes was posed by the British Government during the colonial period. Various commissioners were appointed to conduct a survey and prepare a report on the drug’s uses and effects. The report, however, showed that alcohol is more harmful than cannabis and its consumption in moderation doesn’t do any medical or moral harm. Then in 1961, America proposed to ban marijuana in various countries in the UN convention, calling it “a synthetic drug”. The proposal was opposed by India. It was then in 1985 the government of Rajiv Gandhi banned Marijuana in India under the NDPC Act. NDPC act excluded the cannabis seeds and leaves from the ban as they were used in the preparation of Bhang. Only the flower and the fruit top of the plant were banned.

Since then India has seen many protests for uplifting the ban on cannabis. People have timely argued that Marijuana is the “Penicillin of Ayurvedic Medicine”. Various Indian medical practitioners are forcing the government to lift the ban because they want to study the use of cannabinoids for the treatment of cancer. Marijuana is also used in making body care products, and food supplements in the USA, the country that pressurized many countries to ban the drug. Countries like Britain, Uruguay, Canada, Pakistan, Nepal, and North Korea have a better gross happiness index than India. In all these and other 40 countries Cannabis is partially legalised. Despite cannabis illegal in India, Mumbai and Delhi are two of the highest consumers of marijuana in the world.

Laws across the world

We have surely read about the laws regarding marijuana in the 50 states of America but there are many countries other than America that have legalised the use of marijuana.

On October 17, 2018, Canada fully legalised recreational marijuana. The federated government then can give license to the growers and then the individual state determines the productions and sales of the product.

In March 2017, Argentina laid the claim to the name of First Woke Country to cater Medical Marijuana for free of cost and nobody will be arrested for recreational occupancy in Argentina. Uruguay is the First Woke Country to approve marijuana for ages 18 years and above. People just have to formally register themselves with the government before they contract in buying, selling, or growing.

In Belgium marijuana is decriminalized for people of 18 years of age or above provided the amount comes in not more than 3 grams.

While marijuana is legal to smoke in coffee shops in the Netherlands it is a crime to cultivate it. But in 2017 a bill to partly authorize marijuana cultivation exhibited that the country may hopefully be headed for full legalisation.

A town named Kanepi in Estonia has adopted marijuana leaf as their official symbol. Sale and planting are no-no’s here, and private use under 7.5 grams will be fined without any jail.

Author’s Views

In my opinion, marijuana should be legalised because the revenue that government will generate from it will be in millions which can be used in other fields such as healthcare, education, poverty, etc. Violent marijuana crime will be reduced taking the main source of income away from violent gangs and international cartels. Law enforcement will be able to focus on violent crimes and not waste resources on non-violent marijuana users. Legalisation will free space in our prisons and open for criminals who need to be there. Those with medical conditions that are not responsive to traditional treatment will be at ease and won’t have to worry about being in pain and discomfort.

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