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India: Cannabis Tolerance Showing Up

Drug War Chronicle #304

Stopthedrugwar.org

Friday 26 Sep 2003

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A pair of press reports from India suggest that a US-style war
against cannabis is unlikely in the world's most populous
democracy. In a story last week from Hyderabad, the capital of
south-central Andra Pradesh state, the Times of India reported
that "marijuana -- "ganja" or "bhang" in common parlance -- has
come out of the closet. No more a clandestine trade, pan and
cigarette shops are passe, the stuff is now openly sold from
houses too. The reason: they have the tacit approval of the local
cops and even some politicians. "In fact, a close relative of a
minister too peddles ganja," the Times noted with a wink and a
nod.

The intrepid Times recounted easily scoring on the street,
although some of the sales pitches may stretch the truth. "It's a
cure for core diseases," offered one seller dressed as a sadhu
(holy man). "Take this medicine twice a day, and you will live
for 130 years. A sadhu at Bolarum who used to take it lived that
long," he told the Times man.

If they're winking at pot in Hyderabad, the voice of the Indian
business class isn't too alarmed. In an article on Dutch medical
marijuana last week in the Business Standard, the Indian version
of the Wall Street Journal, the Standard praised Holland's
"laissez-faire attitude" as beneficial to the Dutch and for
leading the way to reform for all of Europe. India should follow
the Dutch lead, the Standard suggested. "Decriminalization could
be similarly beneficial to India, where scarce policing resources
could be concentrated on chasing more dangerous substances such as
heroin or RDX. Decriminalization would enable research into the
medical properties of cannabis and help India cope with the flood
of HIV cases that will emerge over the next few years."

 

 

 

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