Selling and smoking Cannabis in India was legal until 1985. On 14 November 1985, the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act, 1985 came into force. As stated by the Act, consumption of cannabis and its derivatives (charas/hashish, bhang and marijuana), which has higher amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is considered illegal while cannabis with THC lower than 0.3% can get legal approval for commercial cultivation from state governments.
In the textile and agricultural industry, the productivity of hemp is 2 to 3 times more than that of cotton. If the cultivation of hemp in India keeps expanding it can soon make the country one of the largest producers in the world. It will not only increase the GDP per capita but also improve the socio-economic standards of Indian farmers as well as become a profitable source of income for them.
As far as awareness on hemp is concerned, India is far behind. It is still a taboo and has been stigmatised for years. While many are familiar with marijuana, not many have the knowledge on the significance of hemp.
The answer is no. Many consider hemp and marijuana the same which makes them think that hemp can give the same high as marijuana, only it does not. Due to the low THC content, one cannot get high on hemp.
