"CANNABIS LEGALIZATION AND PUBLIC HEALTH: ASSESSING THE RISKS AND BENEFITS"
Main Article Content
Abstract
– In India, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 criminalizes the use, possession, sale, and other commercial dealings of cannabis. This stand is taken even when elements like bhang present as a grey area of the NDPS Act, as the same is not deemed illegal. This raises the question of whether cannabis in general should be legalized in the nation. This discussion explores the Indian laws pertaining to cannabis, along with exploring the debate on the legalisation of cannabis.
Article Details

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
Al-Zouabi, Ihsan et al, ‘Butane Hash Oil and Dabbing: Insights into Use, Amateur Production Techniques, and Potential Harm Mitigation’ (2018) Volume 9 Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation 91<https://www.dovepress.com/butane-hash-oil-and-dabbing-insights-into-use-amateur production-techn-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-SAR>
Arjun Singh vs the State of Haryana 2005 Cri LJ 253
Asbridge, M, JA Hayden and JL Cartwright, ‘Acute Cannabis Consumption and Motor Vehicle Collision Risk: Systematic Review of Observational Studies and Meta-Analysis’ (2012) 344(feb09 2) BMJ
Assam Ganja and Bhang Prohibition Act, of 1958
Bargad, Anish, ‘Legal Standing of India towards Marijuana’, legalserviceindia.com (2023) <https://www.legalserviceindia.com/legal/article-8464-legal-standing-of-india-towards-marijuana.html>
Bell, Cameron et al, ‘Butane Hash Oil Burns Associated with Marijuana Liberalization in Colorado’ (2015) 11(4) Journal of Medical Toxicology 422
Bombay Prohibition Act of 1949
Bondallaz, Percy et al, ‘Cannabis and Its Effects on Driving Skills’ (2016) 268 Forensic Science International 92
Budney, Alan J, James D Sargent and Dustin C Lee, ‘Vaping Cannabis (Marijuana): Parallel Concerns to E-Cigs?’ (2015) 110(11) Addiction 1699
Condé Nast, ‘These Are the Countries Where Marijuana Is Legal’, Condé Nast Traveller India (14 June 2022) <https://www.cntraveller.in/story/these-are-the-countries-where-marijuana-is-legal/>
Daniller, Andrew, ‘Two-Thirds of Americans Support Marijuana Legalization’, Pew Research Center (14 November 2019) <https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/11/14/americans-support-marijuana-legalization/>
Deloitte, An Industry Makes Its Mark the Economic and Social Impact of Canada’s Cannabis Sector (2021) <https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/ca/Documents/consumer-business/ca-en-consumer-business-cannabis-annual-report-2021-AODA.pdf>
Dharmapuri, Sadhana, Kathleen Miller and Jonathan D Klein, ‘Marijuana and the Pediatric Population’ (2020) 146(2) Pediatrics <https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/146/2/e20192629>
Dills, Angela et al, ‘The Effect of State Marijuana Legalizations: 2021 Update’, Cato Institute (21 February 2021) <https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/resrep30177.pdf>
FP Explainers, ‘“High Time” to Follow US? Examining Cannabis’ Legal Status in India’, Firstpost (7 October 2022) <https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/explained-high-time-to-follow-us-examining-cannabis-legal-status-in-india-11406001.html>
Garg, Rachit, ‘Is Weed Legal in India’, iPleaders (13 March 2022) <https://blog.ipleaders.in/is-weed-legal-in-india/>
Garis, Len and Alex Tyakoff, The Legalization and Regulation of Marijuana and Implications for Local Government a Literature Review (2017) <https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/media/documents/Literature%20Review%20on%20the%20Legalization%20of%20Marijuana.pdf>
Goldsmith, Robert S et al, ‘Medical Marijuana in the Workplace’ (2015) 57(5) Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 518 <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4410963/>
Hartman, RL and MA Huestis, ‘Cannabis Effects on Driving Skills’ (2012) 59(3) Clinical Chemistry 478 <http://clinchem.aaccjnls.org/content/59/3/478.short>
Health Canada, ‘Taking Stock of Progress: Cannabis Legalization and Regulation in Canada’, www.canada.ca (22 September 2022) <https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/programs/engaging-cannabis-legalization-regulation-canada-taking-stock-progress/document.html>
Hill, Kevin P, ‘Recreational Cannabis Legalisation: Details Will Determine Mental Health Effects’ (2016) 3(9) The Lancet Psychiatry 798
Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, of 2000
Kourgiantakis, Toula et al, ‘Cannabis Use among Youth in Canada: A Scoping Review Protocol’ (2022) 12(6) BMJ Open <https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/6/e061997>
McInnis, Opal A et al, ‘Alberta Healthcare Professionals’ Perceptions of Prescription Drug Misuse’ (2016) 7(1) The Canadian Journal of Addiction 5
Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985
Potter, Andrew, Daniel M Weinstock and Mcgill University. Institute For Health And Social Policy, High Time : The Legalization and Regulation of Cannabis in Canada (Published For The Mcgill Institute For Health And Social Policy By Mcgill-Queen’s University Press, 2019)
Preuss, Ulrich W et al, ‘Cannabis Use and Car Crashes: A Review’ (2021) 12 Frontiers in Psychiatry Romanowski, Kathleen S et al, ‘Butane Hash Oil Burns’ (2017) 38(1) Journal of Burn Care & Research
Rotermann, Michelle and Kellie Langlois, Health Reports Prevalence and Correlates of Marijuana Use in Canada, 2012 (2015) <https://www.cpha.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/resources/cannabis/prevalence_and_correlates_of_marijuana_use_cchs.pdf>
Sanghi, Ashwin, ‘India’s Cannabis Law Is Nonsensical, It’s Time for “Big Bhang” Reform’, ThePrint (15 November 2021) <https://theprint.in/opinion/indias-cannabis-law-is-nonsensical-its-time-for-big-bhang-reform/766245/>
Sharapova, Saida R et al, ‘Effects of Prenatal Marijuana Exposure on Neuropsychological Outcomes in Children Aged 1-11 Years: A Systematic Review’ (2018) 32(6) Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology 512
Stetten, Nichole et al, ‘The Level of Evidence of Medical Marijuana Use for Treating Disabilities: A Scoping Review’ (2018) 42(9) Disability and Rehabilitation 1
Tai, Hsiangyi et al, ‘The Future of Substance Abuse Now: Relationships among Adolescent Use of Vaping Devices, Marijuana, and Synthetic Cannabinoids’ (2021) 56(2) Substance Use & Misuse 192
Volkow, Nora D et al, ‘Adverse Health Effects of Marijuana Use’ (2014) 370(23) New England Journal of Medicine 2219 <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4827335/>
Wilson, Karen M et al, ‘Detecting Biomarkers of Secondhand Marijuana Smoke in Young Children’ (2017) 81(4) Pediatric Research 589 <https://www.nature.com/articles/pr2016261>