Indian Hemp is a robust, tall, erect, annual herb, I to 5 meters high, usually with male and female plants in roughly aqua numbers. It has angular stems bearing paimately or hand shaped divided leaves with greenish flowers. The hemp plant provides three products, namely, fiber from the stems, oil from the seeds and narcotic from the leaves and flowers.
The hemp plant was originally a native of Western and Central Asia. It has been cultivated since ancient times in Asia and Europe. The plant is said to have reached China more than 4,500 years ago. It spread to the New World in post-Columbian times.
In India cultivation of this plant is controlled and permitted only in the districts of Almora, Garhwa and Nainital (excluding the Terai and Bhabar) in U.P. To a small extent it is also cultivated in Kashmir, Travancore and Nepal.
The chief constituents of Indian hemp are cannabinol, pseudocannabinol and cannabinin. It also contains cannin. a resin. The biological activity of cannabis is due to alcoholic and phenolic compounds. The resin contains a crystalline compound, cannin.
Healing Power
Preparations of Indian hemp have been in use as intoxicants in Asiatic countries and Africa from time immemorial. Bhang, ganja and charas have been habitually used in these parts of the world. Its narcotic and anodyne properties were appreciated by Western medical men in the early years of the last century and disorder.
Dandruff
The juice of Indian hemp removes dandruff and head lice.
Skin Disorders
A paste of the fresh leaves is useful in resolving tumors. The powder of the leaves serves as a useful dressing for wounds and sores. Ganja is externally applied to relieve pain in itchy skin diseases.
Precautions: Excessive consumption of hemp is physically and mentally harmful. If consumed for long time, it causes loss of appetite and gastric derangement. Hemp drugs act chiefly on the cerebrum wherein they resemble the action of alcohol or opium.
Other Uses
Poisoning: The smoke from burning ganja is inhaled as an antidote to poisoning by orpiment, an arsenic mineral used as yellow dye and artist's pigment.
As a narcotic, hemp is consumed by itself or as a beverage. It is more often used for smoking for euphorbic purposes. Excessive smoking is harmful and may cause insanity. Hemp seed is used for the production of a drying oil and the fiber is used in making ropes.
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