India, April 20 -- As the world today marks World Cannabis Day, a symbol of a rapidly expanding global cannabis economy, India presents a striking paradox. Despite centuries-old cultural familiarity with cannabis, most visibly through the consumption of bhang during festivals like Holi, the country remains caught in a web of regulatory ambiguity and cautious policymaking.

Historically, cannabis has been embedded in traditional practices and Ayurvedic texts, where it is referred to as "Vijaya" and used in controlled medicinal contexts. Yet, modern India treats the plant with a markedly different lens. The enactment of the NDPS Act in 1985 placed strict controls on cannabis, effectively criminalising its production and use, with limited ex...