The Great Legalization Movement: India Urges Prime Minister to Legalize Cannabis

By Katie Conley
Source: dopemagazine.com

“Freedom doesn’t exist if nature is illegal.” Staring directly into the camera, a man holds a sign with this impassioned, handwritten plea. There are hundreds of similar photographs featured on the Great Legalization Movement’s website, giving a face to the cannabis supporters of India.

What is the Great Legalization Movement?

The Great Legalization Movement is a collective dedicated to educating the masses on the benefits of cannabis and hemp. As their website proclaims, “Let’s educate the society. Cultivate the lands. Regulate the harvests. Medicate the people. And recreate the world!”

The organization uses grassroots techniques to educate business owners, lawmakers, doctors and, most importantly, the people of India. They hold rallies, conferences and meetings with the goal of seeing widespread, actionable change, and to undo the damage of 31 years of cannabis prohibition. 

Why do we need this movement? 

We recently reported that Dr. Dharamvira Gandhi, Patiala MP (Member of Parliament), proposed an amendment to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act of 1985, an archaic law that equates cannabis with harder drugs such as cocaine and heroin. The bill has been slated for consideration during parliament’s winter session. If the amendment does not pass, we’ll need public support to spur lawmakers and politicians to continue to propose new amendments and policy changes.

The benefits of cannabis are too numerous to name. We’ve known for centuries that cannabis is a healing plant, and scientific research is finally catching up. As the Great Legalization Movement website notes, “These days, people across the world have proven that Cannabis can cure and control hundreds of conditions like: Cancer, HIV, Epilepsy, Autism, Acute and Chronic Pain, Multiple Sclerosis, Crohn’s disease . . .” and the list goes on.

Hemp’s sustainability is yet another reason we need legalization. GLM argues that “ . . . we can replace over 50,000 products into eco-friendly hemp ones. Hemp products are safe to dispose, as hemp is easily bio-degradable.”

How can you help? 

If you’re in India, consider volunteering for the movement. You can manage a particular region, host meetings, take part in projects, rallies, or provide financial support to the program’s operations. Take a picture of yourself holding a sign describing why cannabis should be legalized, using the hashtag #glm_india.

Voices of India

You can still help even if you’re not in India. Education is the key to squashing ignorance. Share these stories, as well as your own. Support businesses that utilize hemp, proving the demand for this versatile plant. Legalization in India—the second-most populated country on the planet—could spur change for global cannabis legalization and hemp usage. We stand with you, India!