Bhang (cannabis) Ayurveda

What it is

Cannabis, used in some festivals in Nepal and India.

Traditional use (claimed)

Pain, appetite, ritual use.

Evidence

Purified cannabinoid medicines help some specific conditions; raw cannabis products are not standardised.

Safety

Impaired driving and memory, anxiety or psychosis, harm to developing brains; illegal to sell in Nepal.

Quality concerns

Some Ayurvedic rasa shastra and bhasma products deliberately contain metals; US FDA and CDC have reported lead poisoning cases, and studies found lead, mercury or arsenic in a share of products sold online.

Interactions

Sedatives, alcohol.

Avoid if

pregnancy, young people, mental illness, driving

Regulation in Nepal

Herbal products in Nepal are registered with the Department of Drug Administration (DDA). Nepal: the Department of Ayurveda and Alternative Medicine (DoAA, Ministry of Health and Population) runs government Ayurveda hospitals and clinics; practitioners register with the Nepal Ayurveda Medical Council. Ask to see the council registration.

Regulation in India

India: the Ministry of AYUSH regulates Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Homoeopathy; practitioners register with the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) or the National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH).

Regulation in UAE

UAE: complementary and alternative medicine practitioners and products need licensing by the emirate health authority (DHA in Dubai, DoH in Abu Dhabi, MOHAP elsewhere). Check the licence on the authority's public register.

संबंधित स्थितियाँ

Informational only; not a treatment recommendation.

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