{"id":8161,"date":"2023-03-30T08:07:44","date_gmt":"2023-03-30T08:07:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theblogchatter.com\/BeStorified\/?p=8161"},"modified":"2023-03-30T16:45:30","modified_gmt":"2023-03-30T16:45:30","slug":"is-bhang-a-drug","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theblogchatter.com\/BeStorified\/health\/is-bhang-a-drug\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Bhang a Drug? Health Benefits and Legality"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This is a contribution post by\u00a0Satabdi Mukherjee<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Delhi Police\u2019s tongue-in-cheek response<\/a> to Zomato\u2019s tweet to a customer asking if they deliver bhang ki goli<\/em> is the latest in a series of hilarious incidents that occur every year during Holi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is it about bhang, which has cultural and spiritual significance in India, that brings up such frothy emotions? How is an addictive substance so freely consumed?<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"bhang\"
Photo by Kimzy Nanney<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Bhang is an edible green paste made from the leaves and seeds of the female cannabis plant. The addictive substance in bhang is tetrahydrocannabinol<\/a> (THC). The Atharva Veda<\/a> lists cannabis as one of five sacred plants. The resin of the plant is used to prepare a concentrate called charas or hashish, whereas the flower is crushed, rolled, and smoked as ganja (weed).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use of bhang in Ayurveda<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The use of bhang is documented as far back as the Vedic period (1500 BC \u2013 600 BC) and is consumed during Holi and Mahashivaratri. It is served as thandai, pakodas, pedas, or halwas. The underlying logic is that it has a carminative effect that helps digest the different sweets and delicacies prepared for the festivities. And you thought it was just a recreational substance?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, Ayurvedic texts<\/a> describe the use of cannabis as a primary ingredient in around 190 compositions and 15 prescription forms. It is useful in dealing with conditions like sleeplessness, hypertension, diabetes, depression, seizures. It is also used for pain management, especially for arthritis, muscle recovery, boosting lung health, and weight management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does bhang make you \u201chigh?\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Photo by Jyoti Singh<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

When bhang is heated, its hallucinogenic effect is amplified. So, when the ground leaves are cooked, the inactive molecule in them\u2014tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA)\u2014is converted into the psychoactive THC by a process called decarboxylation. That\u2019s why bhang pakoras provide a greater \u201chit\u201d than uncooked preparations like thandai. You\u2019re likely to start feeling \u201chigh\u201d within 30 minutes to 2 hours. The effects tend to peak within 4 hours and can last up to 12 hours or more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when bhang is inhaled as a joint or a weed pen, the THC in the vapours reach the lungs directly, which moves to the bloodstream and enters the brain. So, you start feeling the effects almost immediately. It peaks within 30 minutes and could stay for up to 6 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is bhang legal in India?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The legality of bhang in India is a grey area. Known in Hindu mythology as the drink given to Lord Shiva to relieve his pain when he consumed the \u201chalahala\u201d poison during the churning of the ocean, bhang is entrenched in Indian culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act of 1985<\/a> prohibits the manufacture and sale of the resin and flowers of cannabis, but permits the use of its leaves and flowers. It is legal to cultivate cannabis for industrial purposes like producing industrial hemp and horticulture, but not for recreational purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, it\u2019s permissible to harvest the leaves of naturally-growing cannabis plants. Places like Pushkar and Jaisalmer also have government-approved bhang shops, whereas those in Varanasi remain in business throughout the year. Uttar Pradesh even licences and taxes bhang sales like liquor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro-cannabis advocates point out that bhang has less than 0.3% THC, which makes it non-habit-forming and non-toxic. Thus, it should not be clubbed together with \u201chard drugs\u201d like heroin or cocaine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the late 19th<\/sup> century, the British commissioned a report on the effects of bhang and its cultural significance<\/a>. They were surprised by its widespread consumption and noted, \u201cTo forbid or even seriously restrict the use of so holy and gracious an herb as the hemp would cause widespread suffering and annoyance. It would rob people of solace in discomfort, of a cure in sickness, of a guardian whose gracious protection saves them from attacks of evil influences.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Satabdi is a content writer and editor who enjoys writing about health and wellness, marketing, and HR. She has worked with pharmaceutical, edtech, and SaaS companies in editorial roles. When she\u2019s not neck-deep in research for her next piece, she enjoys reading historical mysteries or Regency-era romances. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contact her on LinkedIn <\/a>or check out her book reviews at Book Reviews by Satabdi<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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