The short and sweet answer to your questions is Yes, Bhang is legal in India, and there will not be any legal action taken against you if you are found consuming bhang. But a lot of people confuse bhang with weed or marijuana. You see, bhang is a little different, it is actually made from the stem and the leaves of a cannabis plant, on the other hand, charas, weed, or marijuana is actually made by using flowers and fruit from the cannabis plant.
You see, most of the time, bhang is used at the time of Hindu big festivals like Holi and Shivratri. This is an accepted part of Indian society and most of the time comes across in the form of Bollywood songs and movies how deeply bhang is being accepted and rooted in Indian culture.
What Is The Law Regarding Bhang In India?
The law right here in India treats Bhang differently from other products of cannabis, like ganja and hash. The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act of 1985 allows the use of cannabis leaves, which are used to make Bhang. However, it prevents the use of cannabis buds and resin. This has led to most parts of India viewing it as acceptable and legal, though rules might differ from one state to another. Some states have gone ahead to license shops that legally sell bhang.
Recently, Bhang has started to be used in new ways and is now part of the commercial market. It is used in chocolates, cookies, and drinks that one can now purchase online. That’s just to show that bhang has made it with the modern times, keeping its traditional value while becoming a trend and an accepted product.
And yes, bhang has been considered very beneficial in numerous health aspects by Ayurveda, i.e., it helps in stress and digestion problems. All in all, Bhang is still on the debate floor for legalization in India. Legally, Bhang is allowed, but its wider parent legality of cannabis comes up for debate. Some instances of allowing Bhang have been questioned in recent legal cases, however, other forms of cannabis still remain illegal. This shows the complex legal situation around cannabis in India.
How India treats Bhang is in fact quite a role reversal from the way a lot of other countries are treating marijuana. Most countries liberalize the use of marijuana and its derivatives for both recreational and medical purposes. However, in India, a much-conservative position is observed since Bhang is of cultural and religious significance. The rules in India don’t match the openness of the Western countries.
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