What is Bhang?
It is a term used for a drink that is extracted from female cannabis buds and leaves. Cannabis is a wild plant and it is found very commonly in Pakistan. This is the reason that there is no trouble to get this plant and made bhang. It is used in a variety of drinks for example thandai or bhang lassi. Bhang name is used in Pakistan and globally this plant can be identified as wild marijuana or cannabis sativa or hemp (common in UK). Outskirts of Islamabad are full of this weed and it is easily found in many other areas of Pakistan. End of September to the mid of October is the season of this plant and air in the outskirts of Islamabad is full with the strong smell of Bhang flowers.
How Bhang is made?
Leaves from the plant are cut off and are dried in a shady and rather humid place where sunlight cannot touch the leaves. The leaves are then crushed in a stone or mortar and pestle is used for this purpose and dry fruits are also added to make a paste. This paste is then added to milk, water, lassi and sometimes Ghee is also added. People in Pakistan use a wide variety of drinks to add to bhang and enjoy. Some people even smoke the crushed leaves inside cigarette. In short the number of ways is unlimited in which bhang is used in Pakistan. A huge number of combinations are used to make bhang.
Benefits of Bhang in Diseases
If used in right quantity it can be used during fever, dysentery or sunstroke. It is a good appetizer that can boost the digestive system. It can be combined with many other herbs to cure different other diseases. Helps in releasing anxiety and provides the drinker with a peaceful and sound sleep.
Bhang is effective pain reliever for those people who are suffering from arthritis. It is not legal in Pakistan and some medical circles believe that this plant should be legally allowed to grow for medicinal purposes. Traditional medicinal practices in Pakistan suggest that this plant can be used if suffering from gout, neuralgia, rheumatism, delirium tremens, insanity or insomnia and even in infants’ convulsions.
In Ayurvedic medicinal practices, it is considered an effective pain reducer, good for stopping nausea and vomiting and also effective in debilitating diseases. It relaxes muscles to stop twitches and spasms caused by neurologically induced motor problem.
Side effects of Bhang
Excessive use of anything can be dangerous and bhang lassi is no exception. Overdose of bhang can cause health complications. It can cause temporary psychosis and an increase in both the heart beat and blood pressure can happen.
Who should not use bhang?
Anyone having heart problems or high blood pressure problems or nerve related diseases should strictly avoid bhang. An overdose of bhang in these patients can prove to be fatal. Overdose can cause hepatitis in extreme cases while respiratory tracks damage can also happen in asthmatic users and they should not consume bhang.
Bhang Halal or Haram?
There are all types of arguments on this issue whether bhang is halal or haram. It becomes really hard to decide whether it is halal or haram. The wide use of bhang throughout Pakistan suggest that people do not consider it haram and they consider it just a way to get high safely. All kind of arguments are presented to defend bhang and the most common you will hear is that “it is natural and it is not allowed to go through fermentation so it is not haram”.
Others say that it is haram as it leaves you bamboozled and you are out of your senses. Feeling high and unable to think properly and deep sleep for abnormal amount of time are indications that it should be considered haram.
Tough to decide which arguments to listen to and which ones are to ignore, but one thing is sure that if you are doubtful about something, abstain from using it until you find authentic information about it.
Bhang illegal in Pakistan
This drink is illegal but still it is widely and openly used throughout Pakistan. It is called “Malangi ka nasha” or “Ajizi ka nasha”. The culture in many areas doesn’t consider it a bad thing and like cigarette and naswar it is used openly in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa and various other areas of Sindh.
