Cannabis is a no-no word for many countries.

But in India, cannabis is an integral part of our religion and society. With Holi on the horizon, many will have a  drink infused with a ground cannabis paste known as Bhang. This is because not all use of weed is wrong.

On the contrary, our ancient texts of Ayurveda promotes the use of marijuana medically. It holds the ability to treat multiple diseases, not just symptomatically like some of the Western medicines, but from its root cause. Ayurveda believes that the usage of cannabis or vijaya can help treat anxiety, insomnia, malaria, rheumatism and more. 

Sourab Agarwal during his trip to Odisha found a tribal community so medically advanced that they could treat many of the common ailments with collected herbs from their surrounding. This combined with his experience in the UK with CBD oil and other cannabis derivatives pushed him to start HempCann Solutions along with Priyanka Agarwal.

HempCann Solutions’ along with its consumer-facing brand Vedi Herbals incorporates cannabis with Ayurveda. This unique combination helps them treat a myriad of problems from insomnia and inflammation to epilepsy and depression. This Bhubaneswar-based venture sells known Ayurvedic goods like ashwagandha and shatavari, along with cannabis-based medicines. 

They have even opened the doors to India’s first-ever medical cannabis clinic in Bengaluru. This is a wellness centre and clinic that will give cannabis-based tablets and oil to treat patients’ conditions. 

Despite weed's illegal status under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, Vedi Herbals have gained approval from the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy (AYUSH) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Its products are made to GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices), ISO, HALAL, and USDA Organic standards. Apart from medicines, they even have many body products like body washes, soaps and more.

According to a report, the Cannabidiol market is projected to grow at a rate of 21.8% in value. Going from $5.49 billion in 2019 to a whopping $26.25 billion by 2027. Many Western countries are eager to adopt hemp solutions to naturally treat their issues. Will India’s Vedi Herbals be able to capture a large share in this global market?