As curiosity grows about hemp, a species of the cannabis plant, several companies are pitching the therapeutic benefits and sustainability of hemp-based clothing, oil and food. On the occasion of April 20 or ‘4/20’ -- a day for celebrating all things cannabis -- experts demystify the hemp lifestyle
Hemp shirt and shorts by BOHECO and hemp seed oil for skin and hair health. Image credit: Chirag Tekchandaney (left), Rohit Kamath (right)
For Riya Agarwal, a media professional from Kanpur who, like several others, experienced greater levels of stress and anxiety during the pandemic, cannabidiol (CBD) oil—one of the cannabinoid compounds derived from the cannabis plant—helped manage variations in mood and cope with the conditions affecting her mental health. “I felt comforted and calmer without relying on any other Ayurvedic extracts. I was able to carry out my day-to-day activities with a better state of mind without feeling any kind of addiction and was able to quit after one year,” she says.