The trail of Marijuana: Manipur to the rest of India
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: May 25 2011 -

MARIJUANA, or as it is referred to as Ganja, here in Manipur, is a psychotropic intoxicant declared as a contraband item. It is moderately used in Manipur. It grows as a shrub and it is the leaves which are consumed.

One believes ganja grown in Manipur's Ukhrul area is one of the very best in the world. Since it is banned from normal trade its notoriety has multiplied and so too its market value.

People go through horrendous efforts to trade it clandestinely with the sole purpose of making a fortune. Ganja mafias are operative in India and it is believed they have created a well knit sub rosa marketing system.

What we have to understand is that here in Manipur the term ganja does not connote a negative image. It is consumed by a fringe of the population and in the negative image rating it is far below alcoholism.

More important, its use when seriously considered, does not entail a social stigma. At worst, in discussions at private gatherings, its usage is tolerated like as if it is a preference for a strongly spiced tea.

So much is the tolerance level that it is table talk to inquire one another of the various methods of its consumption. In other words consuming ganja in Manipur is no big deal.

The problem lies with the undeserving higher rating if enjoys as a direct result of the ban imposed on it by the authority.

Since man, and not the Lord of the Universe declared that ganja is a contraband item, we need to have a second look at this man made hullabaloo of making ganja trade a criminal act.

Let us begin with a comparative study with alcohol. So we begin to plead our case with the humble questioning, which in comparison, is an intoxicant that inflicts greater harm on the human body and the mental state. And which of the two entail more expenditure, thus affecting the equilibrium of the family.

Third, in comparison again, which of the two intoxicants is likely to cause more unjustified vandalism and unexplained anger or psychosomatic disorder to respective users.

Lastly, if there is a declared understanding that consumption of ganja leads to lethargy and inaction, it is hereby submitted that with or without ganja, we as a nation already possess those traits genetically. So your Lordship (the Universal One), we beseech you to dismiss the charges against ganja as contrived, mischievous, malevolent and generally depraved, as of a mind with nothing better to do.

But seriously speaking why don't we lock horns with reality. Psychotropic drugs with far greater influences are in common use by many tribes in the world.

Instead of banning them, researchers take great efforts, spending millions of dollars, just to partake in ceremonious consumptions which are blandly explained away in depth as scientific studies of exotic societies.

This has reduced ganja to the low rank of a whipping boy. Why don't we sit down to consider regulating ganja trade, giving it an accepted status, and thereby reduce its market value. One is not talking of considering it as an export item, but rather concentrating on the domestic market.

And anyway, what is all this huffing and puffing going to do in Manipur. The authority with its characteristic lumber some steps, either don't realise, or refuse to realise, that people have graduated from ganja cultivation to poppy cultivation.

Its a whole new ball game. To the authority, we say rethink your policies, it might actually do you good.

However, if you are hell bent on chasing the ganja trail we can only say 'Have a good trip'.