Baba Ramdev and Acharya BalkrishnaNew Delhi: Those who had doubted Baba Ramdev's 'Patanjali' products and his promotions seem to have had a miraculous change of heart! The use of marijuana, other than for licensed medicinal purposes, is illegal in our country. Since, its legalization in the United States, the 'patrons' of the drug has been defending its use citing the medicinal properties. They have finally found their 'brand ambassador' – Patanjali's CEO, Acharya Balkrishna.
In a recent interview, Balkrishna, backed the idea of legalizing marijuana in India.
''In Ayurveda, since ancient times, parts of cannabis (hemp), for instance, have been used for medicinal purposes. So, we are looking at various formulations. We should ponder over the benefits and positive uses of the cannabis plant," Balkrishna said, in his interview with Quartz website.
This is not the first time Balkrishna supporting legalization of cannabis.
Last month, Balkrishna, while speaking at a TEDx event in Panchkula, had defended the idea of legalizing marijuana for medical purposes and also said it could bring more new business and employment opportunities in India.
Balkrishna, who is close to yoga guru Baba Ramdev, had said his company had been in touch with the Union ministry of AYUSH for this. "Research is already on. It has been found that much of it (cannabis plant) is good for health. But, toxic parts, like THC, need to be removed from cannabis oil," he said. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the part of cannabis plant responsible for giving a high to a person who consumes the plant in any form.
However, those who rally behind the Patanjali chief, seems to have missed this part from his speech.
Balkrishna said seeds of the plant were useful, the fiber could be used for clothes, and the plant's controlled cultivation could help India raise a new industry altogether. "By criminalizing marijuana, we are denying a full-fledged business opportunity to our people," he said.
In August, 2017, Union women and child development minister Maneka Gandhi suggested legalizing marijuana for medical purposes, like several other countries have done. She had put her weight behind legalizing the plant for pain-relief treatment among cancer patients.
