Cannabis ban in India: In India, it is permissible to grow cannabis for medical, scientific or industrial purposes only after taking approval. But plant use is banned from the 1985 NDPS Act.

In January 2018, the US state of California granted permission to sell cannabis (cannabis). In the next two years, he got more than $ 1 billion (Rs 7,345 crore) in taxes. Mumbai lost the opportunity to earn a revenue of Rs 641 crore in 2018 because it is illegal to possess or use cannabis in India. In a way, this is very ridiculous because under US pressure, India imposed a ban on marijuana for about 35 years. India has banned the plant which has been cultivated in the country for about 7,000 years, which is mentioned in many medicines of Ayurveda. On the one hand, Cannabis use is being approved in Western countries, India is sitting close to a good source of revenue by banning it. Research by the Law Center for Legal Policy states that the ban on cannabis is deprived India of being part of a larger sector.

What are the legal provisions on cannabis?

In India, the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 prohibits the consumption of any form of cannabis. It is permitted to grow only for medical, scientific or industrial purposes. The law has three forms of cannabis – charas (hashish), oil, and hemp. There is no ban on cannabis but there is regulation on growing. There is a provision of a sentence of up to 10 years in jail for growing marijuana without permission. Also, there can be jail if there is a small amount of hemp. If found in excess, there is a provision of at least 10 years of jail. Even keeping a very small amount of hemp can lead to a jail term of 6 months.

Considerable cost in trafficking and catching

Cannabis cases put pressure on the police and judiciary. There is no estimate on the cost of the cannabis ban in India, but a study in the US states that legalizing cannabis can save the government $ 7.7 billion annually. Some further research suggests that prison costs are 2-6 times the health and social costs of cannabis use. According to research by the Legal Legal Center, most of the arrests are of low income. Product quality is also affected by legal restrictions. Often shoe polish is added to the hemp, the use of battery acid is also common. Apart from this, adulteration of the addictive drug benzodiazepine also takes place.

Heavy revenue loss due to ban

The government can levy tax on it, like alcohol and tobacco, by giving legal approval for the use of cannabis. These two are now the main sources of his revenue. In the 2018 survey, it was found that the amount of cannabis used in Delhi and Mumbai can be increased by several hundred crores of rupees. Industrial hemp is another form of this plant, it is used in construction, paper and personal care products. Its global market is estimated to be $ 15.8 billion by 2027. However, India only accounts for only 0.001% of this trade.

Earlier there was no evil, now crime

The method report states that cannabis cultivation began in India between 5000,4000 BC. Till the modern history of India, its use was not seen as a social evil. The British also monitored the use of cannabis, not banned. India came under US pressure and banned it through NDPS Act. America’s Narcotics Drugs Policy was to fully benefit his interests.

Countries are gradually removing the ban

In the last few years, many countries have lifted the legal ban not just on cannabis. Rather, it has also been approved for use as a Recreational Drug. Uruguay was the first country to do so. He gave cannabis a legal status in 2013. Since then, three more countries have completely legalized it. The possession and consumption of cannabis has been removed from the purview of crime in 26 states of the US. Adults in 11 states can consume it.