Hindu attitudes towards drugs
Submitted by admin on Monday, 8 December 2008
Like other religions, Hinduism generally disapproves of the use of non-prescription drugs.
In the past, however, drugs played an important part in worship. In the Vedas a drug called Soma was used as an offering and then drunk by the priests. The Vedic god Soma was the ‘master of plants’, the ‘healer of disease’ and also brought wealth.
In later Hinduism, Soma was identified with the moon which waxes and wanes when the drug is drunk by the gods.
Cannabis has been associated with the god Shiva who is said to have rested in the shade of a cannabis plant on a very hot day. Shiva gave the plant to humanity in thanks.
Some Hindu mystics still use cannabis as an aid to spiritual experience.
