Top 15 Reasons To Legalise Marijuana And Ban Tobacco
Cannabis legalisation is a hot topic not just in India but throughout the world. A part of our history, culture, and religion cannabis consumption has been and still is popular in India. Sold and known by various names Charas, Ganja, and the not so “offensive” Bhang is nothing but the different parts of the same plant called Cannabis. The resin forms charas, the flowers form ganja and the seeds and leaves give bhang. If you eat the leaves it's cool after all its “Bhole Baba ka Prasad” but charas and ganja are suddenly synthetic drugs.
We have an ancient connection to this plant, while the world is accepting it now why we are still reluctant to remove the ban?
1. Marijuana Is A Part Of Our Culture
Marijuana or Cannabis Sativa has been a part of Indian Culture since as early as 2000 BCE. It is one of the five sacred plants mentioned in our very own Atharva Veda. Look up Atharva Veda Chapter 11 Varak 6 Verse 15, Marijuana has been described as a joy giver, a source of pleasure, and a liberator.
Cannabis has been used in various forms its resin forms charas, flowers form ganja and seeds and leaves are used to make bhang which is very popular even today in India and is not that strictly banned. In fact, it is considered as Lord Shiva favorite food and is consumed widely during the festival of Holi.
Sushruta Samhita mentions bhang as a medicinal plant. It was also used as an appetizer and a digestive. It is said to relieve one from anxiety. (1)
Marijuana consumption has been linked with improving appetite and soldiers used to drink it before going for a war to give them strength and fearlessness.
Bhang has been always been popular in India and is still consumed widely. Even in Bollywood, it’s consumption is shown openly. Remember the song “ Jai Jai Shiv Shankar” and “Khaike Paan Banaras Wala”.
2. There Was No Logical Reason To Ban It
What most people think about Marijuana ban in India is that it must have been banned because of its harmful effects. But actually, there was no sensible reason behind banning it.
Marijuana was banned in 1985 but the story started in 1961. In the 1961 UN convention cannabis was declared a synthetic drug along with many other drugs such as heroin and cocaine.
Marijuana comes from a plant then how the hell can it be synthetic??
However, India refused to sign the convention ( obviously !! ) because first of all marijuana is not synthetic and secondly it was the backbone of our medicinal industry. It was widely used in preparing Ayurvedic medicines.
But in 1985 succumbing to American Pressure which itself was reeling under the pressure of growing hippie culture and a high in drug consumption, Rajiv Gandhi Government banned use and sale of Marijuana. Only bhang was left out from the convention because of religious and cultural reasons. (2)
But wait that’s not the end of the story the same America which was after us to ban Marijuana legalised it in 29 states for medicinal reasons and 9 states for recreational purpose.
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3. We Are Already Selling It
Even though Marijuana is illegal in India there is a huge market for it. A 2019 study conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences reported that about 7.2 million Indians had consumed cannabis within the past year.
According to the UNODC’s World Drug report 2016, the retail price of cannabis in India was US$0.10 per gram, the lowest in any country in the world.
In Odisha cannabis consumption is legal. In Uttarakhand, cannabis cultivation has been legalised for industrial purpose in 2015.
So, cannabis is banned in India but you can still find it easily anywhere in India and that too at very low price.
In Himachal alone, around 60,000 kg of illegal Marijuana is cultivated every year and only 1% of that is caught. In 2016, 1,82,622.85 kg of Ganja was seized, whereas only 11,303.78 kg of Ganja was disposed of. (3)
Where due to think the rest of the Marijuana went?
So, what’s the whole point of this ban !! It’s contributing nothing but a growing illegal black market for Marijuana.
4. The West Is Reaping Its Benefits
According to Forbes, the hemp/Marijuana industry in the US already constitutes for making body care products, food supplements, plastics which is estimated to account for $44 billion markets by 2020 in the US and it will create more jobs than the US manufacturing industry.
Just have a look at these figures released in a report by the New Frontier Data:
“The legal cannabis market in the US was worth an estimated $7.2 billion in 2016 and is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 17%. Medical marijuana sales are projected to grow from $4.7 billion in 2016 to $13.3 billion in 2020. Adult recreational sales are estimated to jump from $2.6 billion in 2016 to $11.2 billion by 2020.”
“These numbers confirm that cannabis is a major economic driver and job-creation engine for the U.S. economy,” said Giadha Aguirre De Carcer, Founder and CEO of New Frontier Data
On the other hand, India which is the land of Marijuana, where Marijuana was a way of life, where it was used as a medicine thousand of years back is nowhere on the charts, even when marijuana grows wildly in Indian Himalayas.
5. It Helps Cure AIDS, Epilepsy, Glaucoma, etc.
A paper published in 2016 mentions a list of medical conditions which can be treated using one or the other form of Cannabis. Just to name them it includes conditions such as Glaucoma, AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, Epilepsy, etc.
In 2017 World Health Organisation released a report in which it was mentioned that Cannabis is an effective treatment to cure Epilepsy and many other medical conditions.
In America, cannabis is already being used to prepare a number of medicines including medicines for cancer. So, what are we waiting for? To let someone else find the cure to cancer and then sell those same drugs to us at an unaffordable price?
Recently a case was highlighted, a man named Cliff Vint who was detected with urinary bladder cancer in 2016 and was told he won’t be living more than a 100 days. With the help of a non-profit Great Legalisation Movement, he got hold of cannabis oil. It’s been an year he is still alive and mending. And this is not just one man several other patients have seen improvement with the help of cannabis.
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6. There Are Many Other Medical Benefits Of Marijuana
Not just conditions like cancer and epilepsy, Cannabis has many other benefits.
It is an anxiety and pain reliever.
It is an appetite enhancer.
It is a sleeping aid.
It helps to relax muscles.
It helps cure nausea and vomiting, it has been used to cure vomiting and nausea after chemotherapy in the west.
Being anti-inflammatory it has been used to cure gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases.
It can help cure rheumatoid arthritis.
7. Used Also In Beauty Products
The benefits of Marijuana are not limited to health and recreation but it has become a part of the beauty industry as well.
Cannabis has therapeutic, anti-inflammatory properties, and anti-bacterial properties. It is an antioxidant, produces lipids and protects from UV rays. Cannabis beauty products help in cell regeneration, treat acne, regulate oil, help get rid of dry skin, etc.
CBD a chemical compound found in cannabis is used by many high-end brands to produce moisturisers and mascara.
Ladies this is especially for you, according to Brightfield Group, a company specialising in cannabis and CBD market research, cannabis is the new shea butter and aloe of the beauty industry.
The high-end French beauty label Sephora launched its first cannabis cosmetic brand “High Beauty”. Even Estée Lauder has joined the league to produce cannabis-infused beauty products. (4)
8. Alcohol And Tobacco Are More Dangerous Than Marijuana
Researchers have confirmed that alcohol and tobacco are much more dangerous than marijuana. Alcohol is the deadliest of the three and marijuana the least risky. (5)
The study suggests that alcohol poses the highest danger of death and its effects have been underestimated in the past. Alcohol is followed by nicotine, cocaine, and heroin.
According to the study the dangers of marijuana had been overestimated in the past and it is one of the safest recreational drugs.
The study comprised of a new method of assessment of risk called the “Margin of Exposure” (MOE). MOE is nothing but the ratio of the dose that characterises harmful effects and the dose people typically consume. The study included heroin, cocaine, cannabis, nicotine, alcohol, methadone, amphetamine and MDMA.
The results show that if we consider the consumption at an individual level only four substances alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, and heroin were high-risk substances and others fell in the risk category.
However, if we consider the risk for population and not just individual alcohol was more dangerous than any other substance. This does not mean a moderate consumption of alcohol is dangerous than that of heroin because much of the risk is posed by the way in which these drugs are taken ( dirty needles ) and their addiction.
Cannabis, on the other hand, was found to be 114% less dangerous than any other substance and was the only substance to pose a low risk of death. However, again the study has some limitations as it does not include the environment and mode of intake ( smoking cannabis can be more dangerous than eating it).
9. Alcohol Is More Brain Damaging Than Marijuana
Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder conducted a study in which they observed the changes in brain structure due to the consumption of alcohol and cannabis.
The study linked alcohol consumption to long-term changes in the structure of white and gray matter of the brain.
Gray matter is the tissue on the brain's surface that primarily consists of nerve cell bodies. White matter is the deeper brain tissue that contains myelinated nerve fibres, which are branches protruding from nerve cells that transmit electrical impulses to other cells and tissues.
According to the researchers, any changes in the white or gray matter or a loss in their integrity leads to impairment in brain functioning.
The study included 853 adult participants (18-55 years) and 439 teenagers (14-18 years). The study shows that alcohol consumption, especially in adults, reduced gray matter volume and integrity of white matter.
Whereas cannabis consumption was not linked to any long-term effects on gray or white matter either in adults or in teenagers. (6)
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10. It Has Reduced Crime Rate And Drug Cartels In The West
Many countries have now legalised marijuana for personal and medical uses such as:
Uruguay
Portugal
29 US states
Canada
Norway
Switzerland
Netherlands
Spain
The thing is the world is changing its attitude towards marijuana. New Zealand, Luxembourg, Mexico, etc. are all considering Marijuana legalisation.
In the UK, doctors have been allowed to prescribe cannabis products since November
South Korea has legalised strictly-controlled medical use, despite prosecuting residents for recreational use overseas.
A death sentence given to a young man selling cannabis oil has stirred debate about legalisation in Malaysia.
South Africa's highest court legalised the use of cannabis by adults in private places
Lesotho became the first African country to legalise the cultivation of marijuana for medicinal purposes
Lebanon is considering the legalisation of cannabis production for medical purposes, to help its economy
Why is suddenly the world changing its perception of marijuana?
The first opposition besides health issues that marijuana faces is that it will cause an increase in the crime rate. Well, believe it or not, legalisation has actually reduced crime rates, black marketing, and drug trafficking in the USA. (7)
Think logically once marijuana is legalised its production and sales will be under government control which will take a toll on the huge amount of illegal trade already going on plus it will ensure that good quality marijuana is provided to for personal and medical uses.
11. It’s Less Addictive
Yes !! Marijuana can cause addiction but so can tobacco and alcohol. This does not justify Marijuana legalisation but the stats say only 9% of those who consume marijuana regularly end up becoming addicted to it. Whereas tobacco and alcohol which are not just legally but widely publicised and advertised have an addiction rate of 32% and 15% respectively and I am sure they don’t have any medicinal benefits !!! (8)
12. It will Help The Locals
Despite the ban, it is impossible for us to stop its cultivation. Cannabis is native to Indian Himalayas, even if you don’t try during monsoons it will make its own way. So, why are we trying to fight nature?
The plant sustains the livelihood of the farmers in the Himalayan region. For some, it is the only source of income but due to the ban, they are forced to sell it at cheap prices to dealers. Legalisation will help the locals to earn fairly for this cash crop.
13. It will Generate More Jobs
As I already mentioned the cannabis industry is going to be the largest employer in America in just a few years. Legalising cannabis can generate as many as 10,000 new jobs in India and we already have a high unemployment rate.
14. It Will Generate More Tax Revenue
Just think about it, cannabis is our native plant. Even when it is illegal we produce 60,000 kg every year. We are actually sitting on a gold mine !!
By legalising and taxing marijuana, the government will earn huge amounts of revenue that will otherwise go to the Italian and Israeli drug cartels running the black market.
In an open letter to US President George Bush, around 500 economists, led by Nobel Prize winner Milton Friedman, had called for marijuana to be "legal but taxed and regulated like other goods".
15. It Has Limited Withdrawal Symptoms
Dr. Paul Hornby a biochemist and a pathologist says, “I've heard you have to smoke something like 15,000 joints in 20 minutes to get a toxic amount of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol. I challenge anybody to do that”. (9)
Not only is it impossible to overdose on marijuana but it has no significant withdrawal symptoms. Abrupt withdrawal can get a little uncomfortable. Withdrawal starts from the second day of abstention and may persist upto somewhere around four weeks.
Withdrawal symptoms include:
There are plenty of reasons and benefits behind accepting marijuana but that does not mean it has no side-effects at all. Of course, consuming anything in excess can be harmful. Eating too many sweets, drinking a lot of water or eating a lot of junk food all are harmful to your health.
Regular marijuana consumption in adolescence can have a long term damaging effect on the brain. But a moderate consumption by adults has no significant effect in any way. (11)
Controlled and regulated use can help us get all the benefits of this herb without any side-effects.
As far as the effect on society is concerned trying legalisation as an experiment will not make hell break loose. If it works great if it doesn't we can limit the use to only medical purposes.
Still not convinced? Watch this fun video by Janhit Mein Jaari on Marijuana.
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