Editorji is a popular short video news and information platform based in India. It was founded in 2018 by Vikram Chandra, one of India’s leading journalists, and has risen to prominence in the digital news space in a relatively short span of time. The platform is primarily designed for mobile devices, with applications available for Android and iOS.

ABOUT US:

about us editorji

Latest Video News: Editorji provides the latest news video headlines, latest videos clip from India and the World. Get all breaking news videos on Entertainment, Business, Coronavirus, Elections, Politics and more.

Latest Video News, Breaking News, Bollywood, Political, Sports, Business News | Editorji

+91 11 4035 6666 / info@editorji.com
3rd floor, Plot B, Khasara no 360, Sultanpur, New Delhi, Delhi 110030
<a title="mail to us" href="mailto:info@editorji.com">Send Feedback</a>
<a title="Contact Us" href="mailto:info@editorji.com">Contact Us</a>

REACH US

Contact for any questions, suggestions, comments, feedback or advertisement on Editorji.com, we are always looking forward to hearing from you.

Contact Us for Feedback, Suggestions and Advertising 

Editorji content is better experienced in our app.

A look at the impact of decriminalising marijuana in India, using the case study of the Sikkim Anti Drugs Act 

Should cannabis be decriminalised in India? | The Issue 

A long-standing debate concerning narcotic drugs is whether the problem is the use of drugs or the user themselves. Should drug users be viewed as criminals is a question that law enforcement struggles with till today.  

Cannabis in India is illegal. But there is also a state that looks at the use of drugs not from a criminalisation perspective, but a rehabilitative one. This is the case of Sikkim, where using cannabis is decriminalised.  

Also watch - UN removes cannabis from 'Most Dangerous Drugs' category 

In an attempt to combat the drug problem the state was going through, Sikkim in 2006 enacted the Sikkim Anti-Drugs Act. In 2017, the SADA was amended to recognise the difference between ‘peddlers’ and ‘consumers’. This did mainly two things – 1) healthcare within the state could be channelised to help the most vulnerable drug users and 2) the scheme of punishment and rehabilitation was changed, to look at users and sellers/manufacturers differently.  

In 2018, SADA went a step ahead and decriminalised illicit drug use. It also laid down elaborate provisions for detoxification and rehabilitation. Sustained advocacy by the members of civil society, doctors and de-addiction centers made a huge impact on the writing of the law, and in turn that impacted how people perceived drug use and addiction in the state.  

One of the biggest things that this amendment did was removal of the stigma. The police instead of registering cases and arresting the drug users, ascertained the need for de-addiction, facilitated rehabilitation, and focused their energies on large scale peddlers.  

Interviews conducted by the Vidhi Center for Legal Policy with the police and prison authorities revealed that undertrials in the Sikkim Central Jail had fallen from over two hundred to a mere sixty-six after the 2018 amendment.

This case study begs a larger question – how is criminalising marijuana impacting India?  

The foremost way is economically. India currently contributes only 0.001% to the world market for hemp products, which is pegged to be $4.7 billion USD today. Over three crore people in India consume cannabis. A study found that in 2018, New Delhi and Mumbai consumed 38.26 metric tonnes and 32.38 metric tonnes of cannabis respectively. It estimated that around Rs 725 crore could be raised in Delhi if cannabis is taxed. This number was pegged at Rs. 641 crore for Mumbai.  

Also watch - Ratan Tata-backed cannabis startup Bombay Hemp raises $2 million

Criminalization of cannabis use increases the strain on the criminal justice system. It is particularly felt by an already overburdened and understaffed police force. A study has also argued that this criminalisation affects the marginalised more. Research from Mumbai shows that almost every person arrested and convicted for cannabis consumption was either a daily wage worker or a slum dweller. This marginalisation is apparent through the world. Even in America, African Americans are arrested for violating marijuana possession laws at nearly four times the rates of whites, yet both ethnicities consume marijuana at roughly the same rates.

It is often argued that the reason cannabis usage can never be decriminalised in India is because of the adverse effects the substance has on our health. However, it is also true that cannabis usage continues to be ubiquitous in our country, and the method of consumption may be far more dangerous for our health.  

The stigma associated with criminalization results in social exclusion and isolation, and it makes access to healthcare and harm reduction services a lot lesser. Lack of regulation also drives users to both unsafe practices as well as contaminated material, making them prone to disease and overdose.

Also watch - Here's a deeper look at Bollywood's history with drugs

Commonly held belief suggests that India’s crackdown on cannabis started with USA’s anti-drug push in the sixties and President Joe Biden’s recent statement is a clear indication that they have moved away from this belief. Announcing a pardon of all prior Federal offenses, he said no one should be in jail for simple posession of marijuana. Many countries world over are also slowly pushing towards decriminalising marijuana and allowing for it’s use in a controlled environment.  
Now the question, should India also be looking at its relationship with marijuana from a changed perspective? Tell us what you think in the comments below!  

Watch Part I: The history of cannabis in India | The Issue 

A look at the impact of decriminalising marijuana in India, using the case study of the Sikkim Anti Drugs Act&nbsp;

A long-standing debate concerning narcotic drugs is whether the problem is the use of drugs or the user themselves. Should drug users be viewed as criminals is a question that law enforcement struggles with till today. &nbsp;
Cannabis in India is illegal. But there is also a state that looks at the use of drugs not from a criminalisation perspective, but a rehabilitative one. This is the case of Sikkim, where using cannabis is decriminalised. &nbsp;
Also watch - <a href="https://www.editorji.com/story/un-removes-cannabis-from-most-dangerous-drugs-category-1606999043143" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">UN removes cannabis from 'Most Dangerous Drugs' category&nbsp;</a>
In an attempt to combat the drug problem the state was going through, Sikkim in 2006 enacted the Sikkim Anti-Drugs Act. In 2017, the SADA was amended to recognise the difference between &lsquo;peddlers&rsquo; and &lsquo;consumers&rsquo;. This did mainly two things &ndash; 1) healthcare within the state could be channelised to help the most vulnerable drug users and 2) the scheme of punishment and rehabilitation was changed, to look at users and sellers/manufacturers differently. &nbsp;
In 2018, SADA went a step ahead and decriminalised illicit drug use. It also laid down elaborate provisions for detoxification and rehabilitation. Sustained advocacy by the members of civil society, doctors and de-addiction centers made a huge impact on the writing of the law, and in turn that impacted how people perceived drug use and addiction in the state. &nbsp;
One of the biggest things that this amendment did was removal of the stigma. The police instead of registering cases and arresting the drug users, ascertained the need for de-addiction, facilitated rehabilitation, and focused their energies on large scale peddlers. &nbsp;
Interviews conducted by the Vidhi Center for Legal Policy with the police and prison authorities revealed that undertrials in the Sikkim Central Jail had fallen from over two hundred to a mere sixty-six after the 2018 amendment.
This case study begs a larger question &ndash; how is criminalising marijuana impacting India? &nbsp;
The foremost way is economically. India currently contributes only 0.001% to the world market for hemp products, which is pegged to be $4.7 billion USD today. Over three crore people in India consume cannabis. A study found that in 2018, New Delhi and Mumbai consumed 38.26 metric tonnes and 32.38 metric tonnes of cannabis respectively. It estimated that around Rs 725 crore could be raised in Delhi if cannabis is taxed. This number was pegged at Rs. 641 crore for Mumbai. &nbsp;
Also watch - <a href="https://www.editorji.com/business-news/ratan-tata-backed-cannabis-startup-bombay-hemp-raises-2-million-1637031748452" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Ratan Tata-backed cannabis startup Bombay Hemp raises $2 million</a>
Criminalization of cannabis use increases the strain on the criminal justice system. It is particularly felt by an already overburdened and understaffed police force. A study has also argued that this criminalisation affects the marginalised more. Research from Mumbai shows that almost every person arrested and convicted for cannabis consumption was either a daily wage worker or a slum dweller. This marginalisation is apparent through the world. Even in America, African Americans are arrested for violating marijuana possession laws at nearly four times the rates of whites, yet both ethnicities consume marijuana at roughly the same rates.
It is often argued that the reason cannabis usage can never be decriminalised in India is because of the adverse effects the substance has on our health. However, it is also true that cannabis usage continues to be ubiquitous in our country, and the method of consumption may be far more dangerous for our health. &nbsp;
The stigma associated with criminalization results in social exclusion and isolation, and it makes access to healthcare and harm reduction services a lot lesser. Lack of regulation also drives users to both unsafe practices as well as contaminated material, making them prone to disease and overdose.
Also watch - <a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/in-depth-bollywood-s-drug-tales-1633277865847" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Here's a deeper look at Bollywood's history with drugs</a> Commonly held belief suggests that India&rsquo;s crackdown on cannabis started with USA&rsquo;s anti-drug push in the sixties and President Joe Biden&rsquo;s recent statement is a clear indication that they have moved away from this belief. Announcing a pardon of all prior Federal offenses, he said no one should be in jail for simple posession of marijuana. Many countries world over are also slowly pushing towards decriminalising marijuana and allowing for it&rsquo;s use in a controlled environment. &nbsp; Now the question, should India also be looking at its relationship with marijuana from a changed perspective? Tell us what you think in the comments below! &nbsp;
Watch Part I: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/editorji-specials/the-history-of-cannabis-in-india-the-issue-1669383016209" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">The history of cannabis in India | The Issue&nbsp;</a>

The Narcotics Control Bureau on Saturday busted a rave party on board a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast.
Reports said that 10 people have been detained from the ship that was on its way to Goa.
The NCB team boarded the ship disguised as passengers based on a tip, reports said.
Banned narcotic drugs were recovered from some of the passengers, the official said, adding that no passenger has been allowed to disembark from the cruise and probe was on.
NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede refused to comment on some media reports about some celebrities at the party
&nbsp;

Rave party on cruise ship: 13, including celebrity kids, being questioned

Anti-drugs agency busts a rave party onboard a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast, reports say an actor's son is among those being detained

Narcotics Bureau raids rave party onboard a cruise ship

Narcotics Bureau raids rave party onboard a cruise ship
Narcotics Bureau raids rave party onboard a cruise ship
Reports says an actor's son is among those being questioned
13 passengers, including 3 women, detained, banned narcotics seized

Reports said that 13 people have been detained and are being questioned by anti-drugs agency

The Narcotics Control Bureau on Saturday busted a rave party on-board a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast.
A total of 13 people have been detained, including three women from Delhi, news agency ANI reported on Sunday morning.
Reports said that some celebrity kids are also being questioned, but NCB officials have refused to give their name or any details. As per initial reports, an actor's son is also among those detained.
The NCB has also summoned the organizers of the rave party on the cruise ship.
The NCB team boarded the ship on Saturday night disguised as passengers based on a tip, reports said.
Banned narcotic drugs were recovered from some of the passengers, the official said.
The ship was on a 4-day Arabian sea cruise and was raided as it departed Mumbai.
&nbsp;

The Narcotics&nbsp;Control Bureau&nbsp;is expected to file a charge sheet in the drug probe related to the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
Reports claim&nbsp;NCB&nbsp;is in the process of assembling evidence and the chargesheet&nbsp;runs&nbsp;into more than 70,000 pages which include statements, call records, WhatsApp chats of all those accused.
Reports say the&nbsp;NCB&nbsp;chargesheet&nbsp;will have the names of 30 accused including actor and Sushant's former girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty.
In August 2020,&nbsp;NCB&nbsp;registered a case&nbsp;related to the drug nexus in connection after the death of Sushant&nbsp;Singh&nbsp;Rajput.

Sushant Singh Rajput case: NCB to file chargesheet in drug probe

The Mumbai Unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Friday filed its chargesheet in the alleged drug probe related to the death case of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. A total of 33 people have been named in the chargesheet. Among them are Sushant's former girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty&nbsp;and her brother Showik&nbsp;Chakraborty. Sushant's former manager Samuel Miranda and household help Dipesh Sawant have also been named. Reports citing NCB sources say, the chargesheet gives details on how various drugs including synthetic narcotic substances were procured at the highest level and then distributed. A formal case was registered on August 26, 2020 by the NCB. Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead at his residence on June 14, 2020.

Sushant Singh Rajput case: NCB files chargesheet in drugs probe NCB chargesheet names 35 people, including Rhea Chakrabarty Rhea's brother Showik Chakraborty named in NCB chargesheet Sushant's former manager, domestic help among 35 people Reports: chargesheet details procurement &amp; distribution of drugs

The Mumbai Unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Friday filed its chargesheet in the alleged drug probe related to the death case of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. A total of 33 people have been named in the chargesheet. Among them are Sushant's former girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty&nbsp;and her brother Showik&nbsp;Chakraborty. Sushant's former manager Samuel Miranda and household help Dipesh Sawant have also been named. Reports citing NCB sources say, the chargesheet gives details on how various drugs including synthetic narcotic substances were procured at the highest level and then distributed. A formal case was registered on August 26, 2020 by the NCB. Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead at his residence on June 14, 2020.

Aghast that no men were named or called by NCB: Suchitra on drug probe

Singer, actor&nbsp;Suchitra Krishnamoorthi&nbsp;takes a jibe at&nbsp;NCB&nbsp;for naming &amp; shaming only women in the drug probe in Bollywood.

Suchitra Krishnamoorthi&nbsp;raises questions of NCB&nbsp;drug probe
Shocked why no men were named or called: singer
&nbsp;

Singer, actor&nbsp;Suchitra Krishnamoorthi has raised questions on&nbsp;NCB's investigation into an alleged&nbsp;drug racket in Bollywood,&nbsp;asking&nbsp;why&nbsp;only the women are being summoned for the probe.
Taking a&nbsp;jibe at the industry's misogynistic culture, Suchitra&nbsp;tweeted that she&nbsp;is shocked&nbsp;that only women are being shamed and no men have been named and called by the Narcotic Control Bureau in the drug probe.&nbsp;

narcotic control bureau

Categories