Sleep & stress · Guide 00
Vijaya: cannabis, bhang and ganja, explained plainly for adults
A plain guide to Vijaya, the old name for cannabis: what bhang, ganja and charas are, what the old texts said, and where to find help.
Dr. D.K. Sharma, BAMS4 min read
What is this room, and who is it for?
About 50 seconds to readVijaya is the old name for cannabis, the plant behind bhang, ganja and charas. This room is written for adults. It gives the traditional view and the medical view side by side, and it explains rather than preaches.
Urgent signs: chest pain, fainting, severe vomiting that will not stop, confusion, or seeing or hearing things that are not there after any cannabis product need the nearest emergency department now. The details are under "Where can I get help?"3
We don't sell cannabis, hemp or CBD products, and nothing on these pages is an offer of any product. Nothing here is a reason to start, and nothing here tells you how to use it. If you or someone at home already uses cannabis, the guides below explain what is happening and where to get help.
Key points from this guide
Each line is quoted word for word from the section it links to.
Contents 7 parts · 4 min
What do the names mean?
- Bhang: a paste or drink made from the leaves, often linked with Holi and Mahashivratri.
- Ganja: the dried flowering tops of the plant, usually smoked.
- Charas: the resin rubbed from the plant, also smoked, and usually stronger.
- Hemp: types of the plant grown for seed, oil and fibre, with very little of the part that makes people high.
- THC: the main substance in cannabis that causes the "high".1
- CBD: another substance in the plant, which does not cause a high in the same way.2
Indian law treats these differently. Before you rely on what you have heard, read the law in plain words. For the difference between the three in more detail, see bhang, ganja and charas compared.
What did the old books say about Vijaya?
Ayurveda did not treat Vijaya casually. The classical texts name the plant, describe its qualities in the language of the doshas, and describe purifying it before it was ever used in medicine. These were physicians' notes written for physicians, not advice for home use. A mention in an old book is not proof that something is safe or useful today.
Which guide answers my question?
Pick the question closest to yours:
- What does smoking do to my body? Read what smoking cannabis does to the body.
- I want to stop, or someone I know does. Read stopping cannabis: the first weeks.
- Does it affect sex, erections or fertility? Read cannabis and sexual health.
- Why do I feel anxious, paranoid or unable to sleep? Read cannabis, anxiety, paranoia and sleep.
- Why do I feel sick, or keep vomiting? Read cannabis, appetite, nausea and vomiting.
- What does a hemp seed oil or CBD label tell me? Read hemp seed oil and CBD labels.
Where can I get help?
If cannabis has stopped feeling optional, or you think it is behind poor sleep, worry or a sexual problem, a confidential conversation is a good first step. Dr. D.K. Sharma (BAMS) consults in person in Ludhiana or by video.
Urgent signs
Go to the nearest emergency department now for chest pain, fainting, severe vomiting that will not stop, confusion, or seeing or hearing things that are not there after using any cannabis product.3
To book, send a booking request. The clinic checks that your concern is one it should handle and offers a time. You pay ₹500 and receive written confirmation, and then you consult. Your personalised Dinacharya (daily-routine) guide follows the consultation.
Sources
- NIDA (NIH). Cannabis (marijuana) DrugFacts. nida.nih.gov.
- MedlinePlus. Cannabidiol (CBD). medlineplus.gov.
- CDC. Cannabis and public health: health effects. cdc.gov.
A source list shows what informed the guide. It is not a sentence-by-sentence review.
About this guide
- Written by
- Dr. D.K. Sharma, BAMS
- Reading time
- 4 minutes · 740 words
- How we review
- BharatClinic editorial policy
The author link goes to /sexologist-in-ludhiana/, as on the live page. A neutral author profile URL would suit guides on piles and digestion better.
Questions or corrections: drdksharma@bharatclinic.com
