Cannabis 101: India’s History With Saying #YesToWeed

On Maha Shivratri, isn’t it time we celebrated our weed culture? The Lord Shiva himself is believed to be a fan.

Cannabis products have been a part of our culture since Shiva’s time. Is it time to decriminalise it?

(Photo: The Quint)

It’s Maha Shivratri and The Quint is reminding you of a unique way to celebrate the festival.

As one is well aware, Lord Shiva – of the holy trinity of Hindu gods – is a fan of cannabis. The wild-locked god features in several texts as being quite the proponent of weed!

The Quint ran a #YestoWeed campaign a few months ago, where we urged the decriminalisation of weed. On the day that we eulogise/celebrate/revere Shiva, therefore, isn’t it apt to remember the cannabis that the lord loves and remove the stigma around it?

The medical use of hemp has been described in Ayurvedic texts and even associated with Lord Shiva.

In 1961, United Nations’ Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs banned all drugs, clubbing cannabis products like ganja and charas with hard drugs giving India 25 years to phase them out. It’s been 30 years since marijuana was criminalised in India. We, at The Quint, want it decriminalised.

Even today, drinking bhaang, especially during Holi, carries no stigma. Isn’t it time we celebrated and revived that culture?