What are the medicinal benefits of hemp?

Across the globe, the cannabis plant is more commonly known as Mary Jane, weed, pot, hemp and grass. In India, however, the nomenclature mainly revolves around the triad of bhang, charas and ganja. Bhang is the leaf of the plant. Ganja on the other hand are the buds or the flowers; it is what we also know as weed. Charas, which is also called hashish, being the most potent of all three, is the resin of the bud or the flower. 

The health benefits of Hemp are multifarious, ancient and effective. It is listed in our own Atharvaveda as one of the five sacred plants in whose leaves a guardian angel resided. Cannabis has long been a feature of Indian events, such as weddings and harvest festivals. It's ingrained in our culture, values, and social standards. Holi is associated with the Thandai drink, which is a Bhang mixture. On this festival of colours, bhang is commonly served in the shape of pakodas, halwa, and pedas. It's not uncommon to find ascetics smoking cannabis in some form in his pipe along the banks of the holy Ganga. Cannabis was used excessively in Ayurvedic medicinal procedures. 

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Cannabis isn’t called the Wonder Crop of the Himalayas for nothing. Among the commonly known health benefits, a few are pain management, especially for arthritis, weight management, muscle recovery, skin inflammatory conditions like psoriasis and eczema, improving lung health, depression and stress management, seizure regulation, glaucoma treatment, ADHD/ADD treatment, PTSD, to name a few. It has anti-inflammatory and sedative properties. It has neuralgic, digestive, antispasmodic, and astringent characteristics. In Ayurvedic scriptures, cannabis is a primary ingredient in about 190 compositions and more than 15 prescription forms.

The health benefits of Hemp seeds are well known and that makes it a valuable source of nutrition.  It has the ability to improve heart health, stimulate good digestion, build muscle mass, eliminate insomnia, treat anemia, aid in weight loss and stimulate metabolic activity.

Furthermore, there are numerous health benefits of hemp oil. Hemp seed oil is high in antioxidants as well as other elements such as omegas, vitamins, carotene, phytosterols, and chlorophyll. It is also a source of numerous minerals, which include magnesium, calcium, zinc, potassium, and iron.

Hemp oil’s gamma-linolenic acid promotes the production of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1), which when produced less by the human body causes premenstrual syndrome. Consumption hence creates a notable decrease in the symptoms. Studies have proved that the hemp seed helps to protect against complications of menopause.

In the second half of the last decade, the hemp business has seen several noteworthy changes and an increase in demand for hemp products. There have been activities in agriculture training programs and practices expanding across farming communities to disseminate hemp knowledge. The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) of 1985 in India allow state governments to set their regulations for research and/or commercial cultivation. The criterion is that they produce empirical scientific and operational evidence that hemp grown will not be redirected for illegal purposes.

Although the commercialisation of hemp is a while away, the growing public support for the plant's legalisation is encouraging.

The Indian government must remove the impediments that prevent the full benefits of commercialisation from being realised.

To establish its place in India, the hemp business must overcome public opinion and strict legislation. The endeavour combines future agriculture, social entrepreneurship, and campaigning for hemp's many benefits, which continues to be an uphill but a worthwhile effort.