The United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs in December passed a resolution, supported by India, to remove cannabis (bhang, which is hemp or marijuana) from the category of most dangerous drugs. This has set the stage for this versatile herb to regain its lost status as a lucrative crop for farmers and a valuable raw material for the processing industry. In India, cannabis has historically been grown and consumed for recreational, culinary, and commercial purposes. It enjoys religious sanctity, as also social acceptance, as an intoxicant less harmful than even alcoholic drinks, not to speak of hard drugs like cocaine.
However,
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