Niveditha trolled online for comparing cannabis to tulasi leaves

As drug abuse in Sandalwood has become the most discussed topic since the last few days, actress Niveditha, who was last seen in the

movie Popcorn Monkey Tiger

, is facing the ire of netizens for saying that cannabis forms a vital part of ayurveda and has medicinal values that can cure many diseases.

Speaking to a new channel, Niveditha said, “Cannabis is the backbone of ayurveda. If we look at the history, cannabis (ganja) was vastly grown in India - more in North India compared to

South India

- before it was made illegal in India in 1985. Cannabis was used to cure many diseases as well as for relaxation purposes. There is not a single person who has died because of consuming cannabis which is called in

different names

during

Atharvaveda

like

Vijaya

, Ajaya, Mathurani and Siddhi. We Indians were never reliant on allopathy to cure diseases so it was a conspiracy to prevent use of cannabis by banning it in India. Cannabis was used in ayurvedic medicine to cure cancer,

leprosy

and

tuberculosis

. It was even used for religious purposes.”

She further added that Cannabis consumption is legal in more than 40 countries. “I am talking only about cannabis which is entirely different from synthetic drugs. A scientist from Israel has also mentioned the benefits of cannabis in a book. It is even used to make clothes and flags in America,” she says. Niveditha has acted in movies like Kallarali Hoovagi. Mathad Mathad Mallige and she has won two state awards for her roles in Avva and December 1. She has also acted in a Tamil film.