Should we not legalize recreational use of Cannabis?



NEW DELHI: What two American states, Washington and Colorado, have decided to do - legalize recreational use of marijuana - was the norm in India until 1985. All cannabis derivatives - marijuana (grass or ganja), hashish (charas) and bhang - were legally sold in this country. As a matter of fact, most state governments had their own retail shops to sell these drugs. India has known, consumed and celebrated ganja, charas and bhang for millennia.



Their consumption was never regarded as socially deviant behaviour any more than drinking alcohol was. If there was any bias against ganja or charas, it was that these were often viewed as the poor man's intoxicant by the upper classes. But come Holi, these prejudices would melt away as rich and poor savoured the joyous high of bhang. Even now, despite a legal ban, recreational use of these drugs is widespread in India.



Keeping marijuana legal was actually an enlightened view. It is now medically proven that marijuana is less harmful than alcohol. In fact, the good weed has medical uses (as many as 19 US states have legalized marijuana for medical purposes). However, moderation is the key. While excessive and sustained consumption of alcohol can cause severe liver damage leading to death, excessive use of marijuana too can cause some damage, mainly to our sensory abilities. In moderation, marijuana is a gentle mood-altering relaxant.



So, if there is a rational policy towards intoxicants and we allow the sale and consumption of liquor, there is no good reason to not similarly allow sale and consumption of marijuana, hashish and bhang. For years, India has held this position. For 25 years since 1961, it has withstood American pressure to keep marijuana legal. Which brings us to the story of why it was banned in India.



Since 1961, the US has been campaigning for a global law against all drugs, both hard and soft. Given that ganja, charas and bhang were a way of life in India, we opposed the drastic measure. But by the early '80s, American society was grappling with some drug problems and opinion had grown against the "excesses" of the hippie generation. In 1985, the Rajiv Gandhi government buckled under the pressure and enacted a law called the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.



It was a poor law that clubbed marijuana, hashish and bhang with hard drugs like smack, heroin, cocaine and crack, and banned them all. The minimum punishment for violation of the NDPS Act was 10 years of jail (it has since been relaxed and the crackdown on marijuana has eased somewhat). What happened as a result of this law was that almost overnight the entire trade shifted from peddling grass or charas to smack or worse. This was because while the risk was the same, profits from the hard-killer drugs were ten times higher.



And suddenly, there was a drugs problem in India. In cities like Delhi, for instance, smack addiction grew. The addicts were mostly poor people - those who had earlier smoked grass were now 'chasing' smack. Newspapers reported cases of men selling off all household goods to get money for a fix. What is significant is that instances of deviant behaviour were rare when marijuana, hashish and bhang were legal. The poorly thought-out NDPS Act had actually created a drugs problem where there was none.



Twenty seven years later, now that some American states have "shown the way", it is time to revisit the ban. When ganja, charas and bhang don't have obvious medical negatives and don't lead to addiction or violent behaviour (which alcohol may be accused of doing), why then should it not be legal as it was in India for centuries? Especially, when there is no social or cultural rejection of them. On the contrary, it is a way of life in our country. Poorly thought-out laws lead to corruption and the harassment of ordinary people. It also tells on the health of the nation. Instead, the NDPS Act should be amended and soft drugs such as ganja, charas and bhang should be made legal.



What is cannabis?



Drug produced from the Cannabis sativa (commonly known as hemp) or Cannabis indica and ruderalis Common names - bhang, hasish, hash, marijuana, charas, ganja. Also referred to as pot, grass, weed, hash. Has nearly 200 other names, marijuana one of them Plant related to nettles and hops, believed to have originated in India (Central & south Asia) Grows wild in many parts of the world The weed has been around for more than 5,000 yrs Key ingredient in cannabis is tetrahydrocannabino (THC). Cannabidiol another active component Amount of THC determines drug's strength The two components affect certain brain regions causing relaxation, introspective state, lowering of worry, hunger and finally sleep Effect lasts 2-3 hrs if smoked or up to 24 hrs if ingested (as in bhang) Derivatives of plant used for both medicinal and recreational purposes Third most consumed recreational drug after alcohol and tobacco Non-toxic in reasonable amounts; very low addiction rate Hemp - one of the oldest known rope making material obtained from the stems of Cannabis plants



Medical uses



Chemicals (collectively called cannabinoids) activate receptors in body Affect central nervous system and immune system Can control nausea and vomiting Affect appetite Control cancer symptoms Pain, anxiety and muscle spasticity Can reduce chemotherapy side effects



Findings on its use in treating 10 conditions



Migraine | Multiple Sclerosis | Asthma | Stroke | Parkinson's disease| Alzheimer's disease | Alcoholism| Insomnia | Glaucoma | OCD



Its forms



Flowers, buds and leaves contain the active substances Herbal (dried plant material) | Resin (from buds) | Powder and oil



Effects & uses



Most widely used for its relaxing properties Usually rolled into cigarettes as a joint, can be smoked in a pipe, brewed as tea mixed with food Acts as mild sedative, leaving most feeling relaxed, chilled out or just sleepy Has mild hallucinogenic effects Makes some more animated Reduces inhibitions Can reduce nausea



Why legalize it



*Pot causes dependence but doesn't kill



*It cannot lead to a fatal overdose as you need to consume 1500 pounds in 15 minutes for it to be fatal



*Caffeine is supposed to be just as addictive as marijuana



*But authorities bunch marijuana with the likes of heroin and cocaine



*Growing body of research on medical benefits and safety of marijuana



*Public opinion wants marijuana decriminalized



*Advocates of medical marijuana say patients suffering from host of diseases such as AIDS, cancer, depression, Alzheimer's can't get benefit of marijuana because it's illegal



Top stories Recreational use of marijuana: Of highs and laws | Updated: 10 Nov 2012, 1132 hrs IST The 1961 "single convention on narcotic drugs" was the first ever international treaty to have clubbed cannabis (or marijuana) with hard drugs and imposed a blanket ban on their production and supply except for medicinal and research purposes Mankind and grass go back 5,000 years | Updated: 10 Nov 2012, 1129 hrs IST Most ancient cultures have recorded its magical properties, ancient languages have names for it. Yet, cannabis is officially counted as a villain, its use banned in most countries. Hope for dope: Alcoholics face a greater risk than marijuana users, doctors insist | Updated: 10 Nov 2012, 1129 hrs IST Doctors dealing with deaddiction say cases of marijuana addiction are rare, if not nonexistent, but feel its use might become a "gateway" for harder drugs like smack, heroin and cocaine. Recreational use of marijuana: Always a way of life in our country | Updated: 10 Nov 2012, 1224 hrs IST The Vedas refer to cannabis as one of the five sacred plants.