Bhubaneswar: In a significant move, the Odisha government has officially categorized ‘bhang’ as an intoxicant. The state's excise department issued an official notification on Monday, outlining the classification and its implications.

According to the notification, ‘bhang’ is defined as a preparation made from the leaves or small stalks of the Indian hemp plant (Cannabis Sativa). The substance, traditionally smoked, chewed, eaten, infused, or drunk, has now been recognized as an intoxicant under state law.

The government's decision to classify bhang as an intoxicant is based on its potential to produce a range of psychological effects. The notification explicitly states that bhang can induce symptoms such as grandiosity, excitement, hostility, disorientation, hallucinations, and thought disorder. 

“Bhang which has the potential of producing symptoms of grandiosity, excitement, hostility, disorientation, hallucinations and thought disorder”, the notification read.