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Cannabis and hemp laws
India
Recreational cannabis illegal, medical limited; CBD restricted, hemp legal
Adult use
Illegal
Medical
Limited
Last reviewed
May 28, 2026
India
Cannabinoid status board
No items found.
India
Latest news and analysis
FAQ
Common questions
Is marijuana legal in India?
No, recreational cannabis is illegal throughout India, but with a carve-out found nowhere else: bhang, made from cannabis leaves, is legal and state-licensed in much of the country.
Is CBD legal in India?
CBD is legal in India only when sold as an Ayurvedic proprietary medicine manufactured under a license from the Ministry of AYUSH.
Is hemp legal in India?
Industrial hemp is legal to cultivate in India under state-issued licenses, with Uttarakhand opening the country's first commercial program in July 2018 and Himachal Pradesh authorising a pilot framework following a 2024 state assembly resolution.
Can you travel to India with cannabis or CBD?
Cannabis import and export are prohibited except under narrow central government authorizations for medical and scientific purposes under the NDPS Act; unauthorized cross-border movement is trafficking, with commercial quantities carrying 10-20 years' rigorous imprisonment.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Seed Legality
The NDPS Act excludes seeds, so trade is broadly lawful; cultivation needs state licences such as Uttarakhand's.
Hemp seeds
Restricted
Marijuana seeds
Legal
Sale
Legal
Transacting
Legal
Gifting
Legal
Section 2(iii) of the NDPS Act 1985 defines cannabis to exclude seeds and leaves when not accompanied by flowering tops, so cannabis seeds sit outside central narcotics control and are traded openly, including as food under FSSAI's 2021 hemp standards. Cultivating the plant still requires state authorization under Section 10, and states such as Uttarakhand (since 2018), Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh license hemp growing at or below 0.3% THC. Selling seeds expressly for illicit cultivation could still attract abetment liability.
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This section is provided for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Seed laws change frequently — verify current law with qualified counsel before making decisions.