Ganja is the cannabis plant’s blooming or fruiting tops (excluding seeds and leaves when preceded by the tops).Charas which is the separate resin, whether in crude or distilled form, obtained from the cannabis plant and also includes condensed preparation and resin called hashish oil or hashish liquid.Section 2(iii) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 states the meaning of cannabis (hemp): The NDPS act defines ganja as the flowering or fruiting tops of the cannabis plant but it excludes the seeds and the leaves which are not accompanied by the tops. The main components of the cannabis plant are tops/flowers, stems, leaves, seeds, and resin which is a discharge from the leaves. THE CANNABIS PLANT AND IT’S COMPONENTįor a better understanding of this act, one must understand the main components of the cannabis plant. There is an additional component of a fine of not less than 1 lac rupees all this depending on the quantity. The scope of the act is pretty wide and the punishment for producing, manufacturing, selling, purchasing, transporting, importing inter-state, exporting inter-state, or using cannabis ranges from imprisonment for a term which may extend to 6 months or a fine that may extent to 10,000 rupees and to rigorous imprisonment which may be the extent to 20 years. The NDPS Act has various provisions to punish the possession, sale, consumption, manufacture, use, and transport of banned drugs. They did it under immense pressure from the united states and its ‘war on drugs. In 1985 the Rajeev Gandhi government brought in The Narcotics Drugs and Psychotic Substances Act, 1985 or NDPS. THE NARCOTICS DRUGS AND PSYCHOTIC SUBSTANCES ACT, 1985 Bhang continues to be the regularly accepted social drink in various parts of the country and even more in the festival of Holi. However, the Indian delegation opposed the criminalization on the grounds saying that marijuana is an integral part of the socio-cultural landscape of India for example ‘bhang’. The single convention on narcotic drugs,1961 established by the United Nation sought to criminalize the utilization of cannabis and club it alongside the other dangerous drugs. SINGLE CONVENTION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS, 1961 They also found that moderate use practically produces no ill effect. Back in 1894, the Indian hemp drugs commission report 1893-94 setup by the British concluded that moderate use of these drugs was a rule and that excessive use was a comparative exception. In 1798, the British Parliament passed a law to impose a tax on charas, ganja, and bhang. The British too were amazed by the popularity of cannabis in India. There is enough evidence to establish that not only the cannabis finds its mention in Hindu sacred text but it also traces its use in ancient times by Suffis, Chinese Daoists, African drug cults, and Rastafarians of Jamaica. Ferrara mentioned that the practitioners of this ancient religious tradition used cannabis as a medicinal herb, and because of its significance to charms and spells, cannabis was considered a ‘sacred grass’ for its power to vanquish sickness, despair, and calamity. Ferrara in his book ‘ sacred bliss: a spiritual history of cannabis’ mentioned that in Atharva Veda, cannabis is praised for being a cure to sickness and fighting away demons. In Vedic literature, there is a mention of the medical benefits and spiritual properties of cannabis. This is one issue where we can blame the foul western culture. To understand it better we need to dig up into our past. This article discusses the history, benefits, demerits, and the law of marijuana in India. Whereas the other group of people considers it taboo. There are public figures such as Shashi Tharoor, Maneka Gandhi, and Acharya Balkrishna who are in favor of legalizing marijuana for its benefits to the Indian economy and medical purposes. A drug or herb, whatever one may prefer to refer to it as but it is only a matter of perspective. The government enforced an act called the Narcotics and Drugs Prevention Act, 1985, which ultimately changed the position of drugs in India. In our country marijuana was legal until 1986. This is the plant that today is cultivated in ‘nearly 400 of the 640 districts in India’, says Romesh Bhattacharji, ex-narcotics commissioner of India. Hash, ganja, marijuana, etc all are derivates of a plant called cannabis. What does the law say? What is the history of this plant? What are the medical benefits? And a little bit about its harmful effects. I have never consumed a recreational drug in my life and yet I think it’s ‘high’ time we talk about marijuana.