If cannabis is illegal in India, why is bhang freely consumed?

So all the legal aspects of Bhang has been shared on the other answers. But lets look at it at cultural level and see why Bhang has been legal throughout. read more

Bhang and Cannabis have the same biological name however, when it comes to legality, bhang falls in the grey zone of the law where as cannabis is outright illegal. The consumption of both of them are quite high in India and this number goes beyond all the imagination in the states where alcohol prohibition is in place. read more

As bhang, cannabis is still popular in India. It is also mixed in thandai, a milkshake-like preparation. Bhang is consumed as prasad of Shiva, and is popular between Mahashivaratri and Holi (February–March). Among Sikh Nihangs, bhang is popular, especially during Hola Mohalla. read more