The village where cannabis is the only livelihood

A look at the old tax books shows that the plant was legally cultivated and sold for decades before India's drug law
The Independent (UK)
Sunday, December 4, 2016

india-cannabis-himalayaFor centuries, the villagers have been growing the plant that has made Malana one of the world's top stoner destinations, and a battleground – at least symbolically – for India's haphazard fight against "charas," the black and sticky hashish that has made the village famous. In 1985, the Indian government gave in to international pressure and banned the production and consumption of cannabis. Possession of a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of charas is punishable by a minimum 10 years' imprisonment. (See also: Demonetisation effect: Himachal narcotics trade hit hard, peddlers hunt for cash)