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<ul><li>This startup promises relief to those suffering from nicotine addiction, Parkinsons, chronic pain and <keyword id="15418" type="General" weightage="70" keywordseo="anxiety" source="Orion">anxiety</keyword> with its <keyword id="14728" type="General" weightage="70" keywordseo="cannabis" source="Orion">cannabis</keyword> laced products.</li><li>More than 50 plus startups have mushroomed in India over the last two years after the FSSAI allowed sale of <keyword id="1957434" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="hemp" source="Orion">hemp</keyword> seed or hemp seed oil as food or ingredients in food.</li><li>Cannabidiol found in hemp products is not a psychoactive substance that gives a “high”. <keyword id="6607408" type="General" weightage="90" keywordseo="cbd" source="Orion">CBD</keyword> has medicinal properties and can be used as therapy for many ailments. </li></ul> If you are looking to kick the butt, but are finding it hard to do so, you may consider switching to “hemp rollens” – cigarettes made from cannabis leaves and flowers. And it is perfectly legal. Trost, a two-year old startup, sells a variety of products made from cannabis that promise to give relief from epilepsy, chronic pain, anxiety and even autoimmune disorders. Says Harshal Goel, Founder of Trost, a startup that produces therapeutic products derived from hemp extracts, “Cannabidiol or CBD has a plethora of benefits because it has medicinal benefits. From epilepsy to Parkinsons, CBD can help people. It also helps to manage chronic pain.” Not surprising that he has named his startup Trost – which means solace in German. Today, consumers can find solace in CBD laced chocolates and protein powders too. In 2021, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India issued a notification that said hemp seed, hemp seed oil and hemp seed flour could be sold as food or used as an ingredient in food products provided that they conformed to stipulated standards. Following which startups are now selling hemp-based protein powders too and not just hemp-based herbal cigarettes. Ayurvedic blend of potent herbs The concept of hemp cigarettes is rooted in "Dhuma Yoga," an Ayurvedic blend of five potent herbs including cannabis, datura, henbane, vasa, and cavya - to create a distinct form of smoke therapy called Dhumapana. According to Trost, burning these herbs creates smoke that the user inhales and exhales through their nose and mouth. According to some ayurveda aficionados, this therapy can enhance respiratory health. It is not just in India that CBD is becoming acceptable. The future of cannabis was also discussed at the World Economic Forum in 2020. Traditionally, cannabis has been seen as a means of getting “high”, but researchers have also found medicinal use cases of the plant, provided the presence of psychoactive substance THC is negligible. Hemp should not be confused with <keyword id="40905" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="marijuana" source="Orion">marijuana</keyword> as it also contains negligible amounts of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which gives a “high.” Consumption of hemp flowers and extracts like CBD oil or hemp seed oil are legal in India, provided they do not contain 0.3% of THC. This is booming business now for more than 50 startups in India that seek to bring solace to Indians battling anxiety or chronic pain. <div type="image" title="Harshal_Trost" agency="Business Insider India" msid="103686011" hostid="261" sizebytes="102332"></div> Cannabis: A licensed business Several states in India have legalised cultivation of industrial hemp. In 2018, Uttrakhand legalised its production and soon Uttar Pradesh followed suit. In April 2023, the state government of Himachal Pradesh also decided to legalise the cultivation of cannabis to boost the local economy. The Ministry of AYUSH is also issuing licences to startups that want to offer CBD products as cures for a variety of ailments. To buy these products, you need to have a prescription from an ayurvedic doctor. Like Trost, most of the startups have mushroomed in the last few years. In 2017, Harshal Goel, then a student at City University, London, learned about Switzerland's legalisation of low-THC cannabis. Intrigued, he visited Switzerland to explore the plant's potential and legal framework. Inspired by the innovation around cannabis products like chocolates and creams, Goel launched medicinal herbal hemp cigarettes in Switzerland. After seeing the success of his venture in Switzerland, he returned to India and founded Trost to offer natural, plant-based products as therapies. If you have recently visited Thailand, you must’ve noticed cannabis shops sprouting like wild weed. The country decriminalised marijuana or ganja in June 2022 and it has given its economy, which is heavily dependent on tourism, a big boost. The decriminalisation, like in many states in the US, was first done in 2018 for medical purposes. Hemp rollens or herbal cigarettes is its most popular product because it helps smokers kick the butt, even though the experience of smoking rollens is very different from a tobacco cigarette. But Trost may be the future of the likes of tobacco majors like ITC. The promise of this pudding can be gauged from the $650 mn that Philip Morris, a global tobacco major, is committing to acquire a cannabis company based in Israel. According to reports in July 2023, Philip Morris is close to acquiring <keyword id="1609269" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="medical-marijuana" source="Orion">medical marijuana</keyword> inhaler maker, Syqe Medical, for $650 mn. This would not be the first investment Philip Morris has made in the company as it has earlier invested $20 mn in a company that offered metered inhaler doses of medical marijuana for pain management. Fastest growing plant on the planet Cannabidiol may be new to India, but cannabis is not. In fact, leaves of the female cannabis plant is known as “bhang” which is also offered to Lord Shiva. But startups like Trost are not offering that kind of solace. Trost is a D2C startup that not only offers CBD based therapies but also sells tobacco-free rollens made from cannabis Not only do these cigarettes help deal with nicotine addiction, it also promises to calm the nerves and have a relaxing effect. Industrial hemp is a botanical class of cannabis, which is often used in medicines to relieve anxiety, <keyword id="23666" type="General" weightage="70" keywordseo="stress" source="Orion">stress</keyword> and pain. No wonder, apart from bamboo, hemp is the fastest growing plant on the planet. Interestingly, hemp also contains THC but not in the same quantity as marijuana does. While Trost may be promising solace to a post-pandemic world where anxiety and stress are as common as cold and flu, these hemp startups cannot advertise. To create more awareness around their products, they are even looking at offline stores. Hemp and cannabis startups like Trost, Boheco, Happie Herb, Cannary, Wildleaf and Oreka are members of an industry body called Pan India Medical Cannabis and Hemp Association (PIMCHA) to educate governments on the benefits of medicinal cannabis and root for the industry’s cause through legal reforms.

From Weed To Wellness: Cannabis is no longer a bad word thanks to startups like Trost that promise to bring solace to users

<ul><li>According to a study by AIIMS, nearly 60 million Indians are addicted to alcohol. While over seven million people consume cannabis (charas, ganja). </li><li>The male-female ratio stands at 17:1, in terms of alcohol intake. </li><li>Uttar Pradesh accounts for most alcohol drinkers in the country. </li></ul>While alcohol addiction affects an estimated 57 million Indians, a major study by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has revealed that a whopping 7.2 million people in India are addicted to cannabis — charas, ganja, bhang — as it is known locally. The <a href="https://wap.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/5-7-crore-indians-dependent-on-alcohol-survey-119022000052_1.html">report</a> by the National Drug Dependent Treatment Centre (NDDTC) under AIIMS said every one out of three alcohol users need to be accessed for medical help in alcohol-related issues, which develops due to harmful intake of alcohol. First of its kind, the study titled ‘National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India’ was conducted across the country — including all states and union territories — interviewing over 500,000 people in India. The study had respondents between 10 to 75 years of age. According to the alarming conclusions drawn from the study, nearly <a href="https://www.timesnownews.com/mirror-now/crime/article/delhi-us-national-found-dead-in-igi-airports-lounge-further-investigation-underway/368381">16%</a> — which is around 1.6 billion of the country's population — falling under the given age group is an alcohol drinker. The psychotic survey also highlighted that over 300,000 citizens in India said that they have consumed cannabis in the past year. According to Dr Atul Ambedkar, AIIMS, the Heroine consumers in India have also increased over the past years at 1.14% — which was recorded at 0.2% during the last survey published in 2004. Alcohol addiction’s effect on youth is well-known. Most of the youth in India's National Capital starts consuming alcohol much before the legal <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/delhi-youth-consume-alcohol-before-reaching-drinking-age/articleshow/67987071.cms">drinking age</a> — including teenagers. In fact, roughly <a href="https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/4-6-lakh-children-inhalant-addicts-according-to-1st-national-survey/cid/1684928">460,000</a> children were found addicted to inhalant drugs. However, the male-female ratio in terms of alcohol consumption — 17:1 — has shown that far fewer women drink. With men dominating the numbers, nearly 30% reportedly consumed desi liquor or India-made foreign liquor. The study has also shown that the usage of other categories of substance abuse — psychoactive substances — including opioids, cocaine among others — has increased. Worst affected states While the survey accessed people across India, it also revealed a state-wise statistics on substance abuse. According to the report, Punjab, Goa, Tripura, Chhattisgarh and Arunachal Pradesh are most dependent on alcohol. However, Uttar Pradesh has the highest share of alcohol drinkers in India. In terms of cannabis, Delhi, Punjab, Sikkim, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh topped the charts, with maximum number of addicts. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/alcohol-bottles-in-india-to-have-a-loud-warning-do-not-drink-and-drive/articleshow/67868028.cms">Not just cigarettes, alcohol bottles in India will have a loud and clear warning soon</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/delhi-youth-consume-alcohol-before-reaching-drinking-age/articleshow/67987071.cms">Most young people in India’s national capital who drink alcohol are under-age: Survey</a>

After alcohol, India has a rising cannabis addiction problem, warns AIIMS study

<ul><li>India’s two most popular cities — Delhi and Mumbai — have featured in the top 10 cities for highest cannabis consumption in the <keyword id="8081405" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-weed-list">global weed list</keyword>. </li><li>Delhi ranks third across the globe in terms of cannabis consumption, while Mumbai follows at number six. </li><li>US tops the charts with three cities featuring in the list — New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. </li></ul>Punjab aside, India’s two most popular cities — Delhi and Mumbai — have featured in the top 10 cities for highest cannabis consumption in the <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/delhi-ranks-high-3rd-on-global-weed-list/articleshow/71057555.cms">global weed list</a>. According to ‘ABCD 2018 Cannabis Price Index’ report, national capital Delhi ranks third across the globe in terms of cannabis consumption, while Mumbai follows at number six. This may not have come as a surprise as a whopping <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/ganja-cannabis-addiction-on-rise-after-alcohol-says-aiims-study/articleshow/68081096.cms">7.2 million people</a> in India are addicted to cannabis, commonly known as charas, ganja, bhang in India. The report noted that in 2018, Delhi and Mumbai each consumed 38.3 tons and 32.4 tons of cannabis, respectively, TOI reported. This may be because of affordable prices of cannabis in India. It is sold at ₹315 per gram in Delhi and ₹329 per gram in Mumbai, which are one of the cheapest rates globally, the report highlighted. And, this is when the country has not yet legalised cannabis consumption. On the other hand, the US tops the charts with three cities featuring in the list. New York topped the chart for the highest intake of cannabis at 77.4 tons, followed by Karachi in Pakistan at 42 tons. Other US cities on the list are Los Angeles at 36 tons and Chicago at 24.5 tons. Other cities in the top 10 include Toronto, London, Cairo and Moscow. Having said that, Amsterdam where weed is legal ranks 56 on the list at merely 3.6 tons. The report also noted that, if legalised, the two cities can raise roughly ₹13.66 billion. This is if the tax rates applied on cigarettes is implemented on it. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/ganja-oil-potential-being-explored-by-indian-government/articleshow/71043497.cms">India is studying ways to make protein-rich cooking oil from marijuana</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/ganja-cannabis-addiction-on-rise-after-alcohol-says-aiims-study/articleshow/68081096.cms">After alcohol, India has a rising cannabis addiction problem, warns AIIMS study</a>

Delhi and Mumbai ‘score’ high on weed consumption globally

There is no single age group of people more affected by <keyword id="6359858" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="alcohol">alcohol</keyword> and drugs than young people. It’s worrying that more than 23 million people over the age of 12 are addicted to alcohol and drugs in India. What may have started as occasional use can turn into an addiction for a lifetime that presents extraordinary health concerns with potentially grave and tragic consequences. 
 
Even Dr Vipul Rastogi, specialist in Behavioural Neurology and Psychiatry at Medanta hospital, agrees that drug use is increasing amongst the youth of today. He admits to seeing and treating quite a few of these young people in his clinic every week with ongoing substance abuse. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/5-ways-to-strike-the-right-work-life-balance/articleshow/49375712.cms">ALSO READ: 5 ways to strike the right work life balance</a> 
 “The substances range from using cannabis (marijuana) in various forms, sniffing glue/ petrol/ industrial solvents, cocaine, <keyword id="48598" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Heroin">heroin</keyword>, ecstasy etc. High use of alcohol amongst the youth and adolescents is a different matter altogether because of its easy accessibility, but these other substances are banned and you have to actively search for them,” he says. 
 
Statistics from Europe suggest that half of young people have tried some illegal drugs or alcohol by the age of 16, this is perhaps too high for India but the trend is rising and in urban areas will reach this sort of figure in near future. 
 Notably, the rural belts of Punjab, specific areas of Haryana, the farming belt around Rudrapur (Uttarakhand) are notorious for use of <keyword id="3319943" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Afeem">Afeem</keyword> (tablet form of heroin/opiates). 
 
Despite being a doctor himself, Mr Rastogi is astounded to see the normalcy with which people talk about Afeem. “I am often told that use of Afeem is like a right of passage and from Grandfather to Grandson all use it. There are also misconceptions, misgivings or denials in a way that I am often told that quitting Afeem leads to paralysis. It makes me wonder about the efficacy of government initiatives and awareness programs.” 
 
He explained to me how a person moves from being a first timer to an addict in no time - Normally, a young substance user will first use ‘Entry Substances’ like cannabis/marijuana or solvents before moving on to ‘harder drugs’ like cocaine or heroin. 
 
“I was surprised to meet a 17 year old boy from Jammu, Class XII student from a middle-high class family,” he says, who had recently started inhaling heroin. “You do get exceptions in clinical practice, but he told me that most of his friends had been using Heroin for some time now and most of them were even injecting heroin.” 
 
If we look at the reason for using substances, it varies from peer pressure to some people using it to manage their stress. 
 
“As for my patients, it was mostly Social/ Peer pressure,” Dr Vipul says. “The desire to ‘mix in’ with the crowd and not be a ‘spoil sport’. The popular culture is what we see in music, television, films also seems to represent ‘Fun = Alcohol’ and ‘Alcohol = Fun.’” 
 
We can help stop this. If we take note of certain early warning signs that can help identifying substance abuse amongst our loved ones: 
1) Loss of interest in activities that the person used to engage previously. 
2) Unexplained irritability/ moodiness 
3) Exhibition of behaviour which is ‘out of character’ 
4) Loosing personal items like video games, mobile phones, etc 
5) Stealing money 
 
Dr Vipul feels there has to be much more emphasis on prevention and awareness initiatives. 
 “My suggestion would be to start from the schools, perhaps every school should have discussions on alcohol and <keyword id="14744" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Drug-abuse">drug abuse</keyword> with their class XI or XII students, as directed by experts. These school discussions can easily be facilitated either through government departments or private organizations working within this realm. In cases where schools have certain work force or financial constraints, simple videos about substance abuse can be shown in class, which too can have a big potential to at least get people to think and make informed choices,” he says.

The sure shot signs of identifying
an alcohol and drug addict, with over 23mn addicts in India, and growing fast

When most frequent flyers tend to ignore the flight safety demonstrations onboard, too much stress on the cabin crew and pilots make those instructions actually essential while boarding a long haul flight. According to a news report by the Economic Times, the pilot who informs you how many metres above ground level you are cruising at, may well be sinking into depression. 
 
The officials at the Ministry of Civil Aviation are now internally debating whether pilots and cabin crew need to be put through regular psychological tests, a ministry official told ET. However, no such checks are mandated as of now. 
 
This comes in the wake of the recent Germwings plane crash into the Alps, where the co-pilot had suffered a bout of depression and made a suicidal move killing 130 passengers. This incident has raised concerns about the mental health of pilots in India too. 
 
As per the ET report, a cocktail of erratic schedules, inadequate sleep, pressure to maintain timelines, irate passengers and being employed by an industry that’s in a flux has put pilots, air traffic controllers and key staffs under severe duress. 
 "Many in the aviation sector hide their stress since they fear for their job. This needs to be addressed to ensure skies are safe," a senior commander with <keyword id="6358200" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Jet-Airways">Jet Airways</keyword> told the ET on condition of anonymity. 
 
Besides pilots, cabin crew, ground staff and ATC officials are battling psycho-somatic disorders, alcohol and cannabis addiction, insomnia and anxiety, sources in the aviation and medical fraternity said. 
 
Those who are married within the industry are deprived of marital bliss because they often go home only to see their spouses flying out. Requesting anonymity, an air hostess who works with Jet Airways said, "In January, I saw my husband after 20 days and we often meet at airports. Our fleet is expanding and there is shortage of cabin crew which adds to the pressure." She logs in 15 hours, for six days a week. 
 
The 27-year-old air hostess further added, "There is tremendous pressure. A counselor is provided once a month, but who has the time to visit?" Sadly, she suffers from insomnia like many in her team. The financial daily tried to reach out to Jet Airways via an e-mail, but hasn’t yet secured any response. However, <keyword id="6354706" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Indigo">IndiGo</keyword> Airlines sounds a breather. "Under our employee assistance programme, employees have access to the best of doctors and counselors," said IndiGo president Aditya Ghosh in an email response to the ET. "The objective behind this initiative is not to target anyone but provide assistance and arrange for facilities required by the person concerned," he added. 
This pressure is not just faced by the cockpit crews, even the air traffic controller on ground, who instructs a flight to attain height or descent, has to work under same kind of situation. 
"A controller cannot settle for 99.9% accuracy; one has to be 100% accurate. We work for six hours a day and get an off after four days of work. Currently, our company (Airports Authority of India) does not provide any facility or conduct any sessions to help employees recover from stress," DS Raghavan, a senior air traffic controller and former president of Guild told the ET. 
 
(Image: India Times)

No more ‘suicidal pilots’! India working on Pilots’ ‘stress factor’

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">GettyRory Stewart MP.</div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>A UK politician vying to become prime minister has admitted to smoking opium while in Iran.</li><li>Conservative MP Rory Stewart, the minister for international development, told The Telegraph that the opium "had no effect" on him when he smoked it at a wedding in Iran.</li><li>Leadership rival Jeremy Hunt also admitted to taking drugs this week, reminiscing about the time he drank a cannabis-laced drink in India.</li><li>Incumbent Prime Minister Theresa May will step down as Conservative Party leader on June 7. Stewart and Hunt are among 11 candidates who are hoping to become the new leader, and therefore, prime minister.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.</a></li></ul>A senior UK politician gunning to fill the vacant prime minister's office has confessed to smoking opium in the past.Rory Stewart smoked the banned narcotic while he was travelling around Iran in his 20s, but <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/05/29/rory-stewart-admits-smoking-opium-spell-iran-tells-telegraph/">told The Telegraph</a> it "had no effect" on him because he was "walking 25 to 30 miles a day" during a trek across the country.Stewart, currently the Minister for International Development, said: "I was invited into the house, the opium pipe was passed around at a wedding."<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">GettyRory Stewart MP speak to media on College Green in Westminster, London.</div></div></div>"I thought this is going be a very strange afternoon to walk but it may be that the family was so poor they put very little opium in the pipe."Stewart <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/smoking-opium-in-iran-was-stupid-mistake-pm-hopeful-rory-stewart-admits-11731525">told Sky News on Thursday</a> he knew the drug, made from poppy seeds, was illegal at the time, and apologized."I think it was a very stupid mistake and I did it 15 years ago, and I actually went on in Iran to see the damage that opium was doing to communities," Stewart said.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/magic-mushrooms-psilocybin-psychoactive-drug-brain-denver-legal-2019-5?r=US&amp;IR=T">Researchers believe psychedelic drugs could combat depression and addiction. Here's how magic mushrooms affect your brain.</a>Iran is said to have the highest number of opium addicts in the world, with the UN estimating over 2% of citizens are addicted. The drug is smuggled across from Afghanistan, the world's largest producer of opium.Four days before Stewart's confession Jeremy Hunt - also vying to become prime minister - <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/hunt-and-leadsom-square-up-in-new-battle-of-brexiteers-9xxhl76pv">confessed to the Sunday Times</a> he drank a cannabis-laced drink while in India.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Leon Neal/Getty ImagesJeremy Hunt MP.</div></div></div>Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-prescription-drug-prices-are-high-graphic-rebates-healthcare-industry-2019-2?r=US&amp;IR=T">Everybody is talking about the high cost of prescription drugs. Here's who's actually responsible for the prices you pay.</a>Incumbent Prime Minister Theresa May announced she will step down as Conservative Party leader on June 7, triggering a battle to become the next party leader, and therefore prime minister. May will step down as prime minister once a new Conservative leader is chosen.A string of Conservative Party MPs including Stewart and Hunt, as well as Boris Johnson,<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/conservative-leadership-contest-candidates-to-replace-theresa-may-prime-minister-2019-5?r=US&amp;IR=T?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest"> have announced they are running.</a> Johnson is considered to be a strong favorite to win the leadership. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gary-shilling-legendary-economist-trade-war-outlook-says-us-will-win-2018-10">WATCH: The legendary economist who predicted the housing crisis says the US will win the trade war</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

You Searched For "Cannabis addiction in India" and got 6 results

From Weed To Wellness: Cannabis is no longer a bad word thanks to startups like Trost that promise to bring solace to users

Malini Bhupta

After alcohol, India has a rising cannabis addiction problem, warns AIIMS study

BI India Bureau

Delhi and Mumbai ‘score’ high on weed consumption globally

Prerna Sindwani

The sure shot signs of identifying an alcohol and drug addict, with over 23mn addicts in India, and growing fast

Anushree Singh

No more ‘suicidal pilots’! India working on Pilots’ ‘stress factor’

A politician battling to become the UK's new prime minister admitted to smoking opium

Bill Bostock,Bill Bostock

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