Need for Restoring Legal Status of Cannabis in India

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News reports have been highlighting the growing problem of use of illegal drugs among youth of India. It is a serious problem that in its worst form can become primary cause of compromising present and future well being of the nation. Once caught in its grip, a human finds it difficult to overcome the problem, even unto death, so pervasive is its influence on human biology. It would be wishful thinking on part of India that it can control this problem through its law and order machinery, when even the strict legal forces of US or the guns and blazes of Duterte of Philippines is facing a hard time controlling it.

Against this backdrop, many have suggested that one of the illegal drugs, cannabis be legalized. As compared to synthetic chemical drugs, it is a herbal substance that has been present in India as a wild weed for thousands of years, for the most part as legal as spinach or onions without having caused any notable problem while problems created by the other herbal narcotic - opium have occurred throughout history albeit not as serious as those by some of the modern chemical drugs. In fact cannabis as a narcotic had created even fewer problems than alcohol when it was a legal substance.

This author believes that there is an urgent need to re-legalise cannabis in India to the status it held for thousands of years. It may not eradicate the problems caused by use of modern chemical drugs completely but it is certain to reduce them when it becomes a much cheaper legally available option.

In the author’s view, it was a Great historical American Nixonian error to club cannabis with more dangerous chemical narcotic substances. If at all, it should have been clubbed with alcohol and tobacco for regulation. They have realized this now and begun to re-legalize it state by state. It is a slow process, especially in the US because of their legal system and because of many vested interests that profit from keeping the drug illegal. Under American pressure India and the rest of the world followed suit but once India decides to restore the traditional status of cannabis, the process here can be faster.

Following are some of the main reasons listed as bullets, why this author feels cannabis should be legalized in India as soon as possible,

1
Reduced Use of dangerous chemical drugs

As mentioned in the preamble availability of cannabis as a cheap legal and less harmful option is bound to reduce use of other more dangerous drugs. In fact availability of Cannabis is likely to reduce use of alcohol and its associated problems especially across rural India. There was a time when a farmer under stress consumed Bhang Ghota, a drink of cannabis in milk and went to sleep for a better day. Now he does the same with alcohol or commits suicide. Alcohol in overdose or adulterated can kill. Cannabis has not been known to kill.

2
Least addictive

While one can not overcome the addiction due to most chemical drugs without serious medical intervention if at all, one may give up alcohol addiction with will power and determination. Cannabis habit can be given up even more easily it seems. For this reason rather than terming it an addiction it is termed as habit here.

3
Removing the profit incentive

What has to be noted is that the illegal drug trade is a highly profitable criminal business. Whenever a business is profitable, even illegal ones, a portion of the profits are invested in promotion of business in a lust for ever increasing profits. This is the biggest cause responsible for spread of illegal drugs. With the least harmful of these illegal drugs, Cannabis made legal the profit incentive in its trade will crash overnight. It shall be no more profitable than trade of onions and likely much less because cannabis is a wild weed unlike onions. It is for this reason that in parts of Himalayas where this weed grows wild and abundant even now, there are few takers for it. But leave a few bottles of whiskey by the roadside and see how people rush for it.

4
Crime mitigation

Aside form the crime created by illegal status of cannabis, even in  places and times where both cannabis and alcohol are legal, it seems use of alcohol promotes crime and violence by removing inhibitions of those prone to it. On the other hand use of cannabis appears to promote peaceful and meditative behavior. It is for this reason it has been the favorite substance of hermits since ages in India.

5
Medical Benefits

Numerous recent studies have highlighted diverse benefits of cannabis in dealing with a range of medical problems humans face ranging from epilepsy to chronic pain and much else that is presently either untreatable or controlled by expensive chemical medicines that produce grave side effects

6
Traditional Use

The use of Cannabis has a long medicinal and spiritual tradition in India. The herb is indigenous to India. Restoring its legal status, restores and honors this tradition

Conclusion

Greek philosophers noted that every argument can be opposed by a counter argument and no doubt whatever has been written in this note can be opposed and argued against by others. However, in the end, the proof of a policy is in the experience of its effect. That is, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. India has already eaten that pudding for five thousand years and noted no problem. In fact all the problems arose after eating that pudding was made illegal.

The government may point out that there are international obligations and treaties that India has already signed to. But if a small country like Uruguay can find a way to remove cannabis from the illegal drug list, India surely can. Incase it wishes to play even safer, it can be done in phases. The first phase being to reduce penalties associated with cannabis trade and use to no more than a traffic fine, and then follow it up by full legalization after noting the benefits of even this change.
May God grant wisdom to India's leaders and peace to its people.
Sat Sri Akaal



NOTE
An earlier note by the author on legalization of cannabis (marijuana) of wider interest by the author in this blog is here
https://steamcenter.blogspot.in/2015/11/on-legalization-of-marijuana-cannabis.html 

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