Lately, the Western world has been peeking into India through social media: quirky tourist spots (there’s a temple filled with rats!), the timeless beauty of the Taj Mahal, unsanitary but viral street food clips, Goa’s trippy nightlife, and the country’s obsession with Argentina’s national soccer team. No wonder so many content creators and tourists are flocking to South Asia’s giant, hiking the Himalayas, filming along the Indian Ocean. But what about weed in India? Is it legal? Can you smoke? What’s the scene like in the world’s most populated nation?
“India has a very complicated relationship with cannabis,” Abhishek Mohan tells High Times. Abhishek is the founder of hempstreet.in, one of India’s biggest players in the medical cannabis space, covering everything from research to retail. His team was behind the world’s first successful clinical trial on cannabis and dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation). They just filed a U.S. patent and are kicking off production in North America, with Thailand next on the list.
According to Abhishek, weed is federally legal for medical use, but recreational use is off the table, except “during certain festivals.” He presses: “The one word that really defines the situation is ‘complicated.’”
Recently, Argentine YouTuber Augusto Tellmansidekick of Mauro Albarracín—one of South America’s biggest content creators—paid India a visit. “It’s a very complex country for tourists,” Tellman admits, a little uneasy. Well known in the cannabis community as a hardcore smoker, he had a rough time scoring some weed in Delhi, Agra, and Vrindavan. “In Delhi you can score hash, but no flower. You gotta ask around. Sometimes tuk-tuk drivers will offer some when you walk by. I think Hinduism is cool with weed. But the government? Not so much,” says Tellman.
Another source, who asked to remain anonymous, told us: “Depending on where you are, it’s easier to find. Up north, you can get it. Down south, the laws are stricter.” Even with its medical status, recreational cannabis is flat-out illegal in India. “As for the cops, it depends on the region. In the north, they tend to look the other way. In some parts of the south, they’ll bust you just for having a nug,” the anonymous source explains.
After about 10 days wandering India, Tellman noticed something else: “I didn’t see anyone smoking in public. I went to Vrindavan, the Krishna pilgrimage mecca, and didn’t see a fucking joint. Didn’t smell anything either. Same in Agra, where the Taj Mahal is. Weed doesn’t seem to be everywhere here,” the YouTuber says.
Meanwhile, Abhishek points out that other substances are on the rise. “News reports say young people are using a lot more recreational drugs, and what kind depends on income level. Plus, there’s an opioid crisis brewing in the northern state of Punjab,” he notes.
Then there’s a special cannabis-based food with psychoactive punch and deep roots in India. Which one? Bhang Lassi, very popular across the country. “It’s a paste made from leaves and tiny buds. Those little buds have THC, and the leaves closest to them do too. So yeah, it hits hard. People’s faces completely change when they try it, it’s kind of scary. But it kicks in late, kind of like eating a cookie,” explains Tellman.
So what’s the cannabis Western traveler’s tip for India? Tellman keeps it real: “Don’t give yourself away on the street. Don’t light up on the street, especially not outside the big cities. Don’t get into trouble with the cops. Just being a foreigner makes you stand out, imagine if you’re smoking a joint!”
And with that, Tellman keeps racking up miles and stories around the planet.
Cover photo by Foto de Daniel Dara en Unsplash
