A poorly conceived prank in which an Indian family consumed a dish containing what their neighbour assured was methi (fenugreek), but in fact was dried cannabis leaves, sent all six to hospital in Uttar Pradesh.

The man is said to have given the packet of dried “methi” to a neighbour’s son who then gave it to his sister-in-law who made what she thought was aloo-methi, according to Times of India.

But shortly after consuming the dish, all family members began experiencing dizziness and feeling sick. Some even lost consciousness, according to the Indian Express.

Concerned, neighbours were asked to call a doctor and the police were alerted. The entire family was then taken to hospital to be checked out.

Police subsequently discovered the secret ingredient when they found the marijuana leaves and the remainder of the dish. The neighbour was detained and has reportedly fessed up to the prank.

One need not travel to India to fall victim to a pot prank. There was also the Australian grandparents who spent time in hospital after experiencing an elevated heart rate and much vomiting, or the wake in B.C., where some attendees had to go to the emergency room after unwittingly consuming the weed-containing food.

The entire incident in India left some on social media a bit confused, in light of the fact that the two leaves differ markedly in appearance.

Fenugreek leaves are eaten in India as a vegetable, notes WebMD. Taken by mouth, the herb has been used to address such conditions as diabetes, menstrual cramps and high cholesterol, although there is “no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.”

Is weed legal in India? Kind of, according to Cannabis Industry Lawyer. While flower or resin are definitely off-limits for recreational, the weed-infused drink, bhang, is sometimes consumed during special and religious ceremonies.

That said, the push for full legalization and consumption of weed continues. The country did mark the opening of its first medical cannabis clinic earlier in 2020 and at least one India state has legalized cultivation of weed and its use for both industrial and medical uses.

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