Weed, hash, grass, pot, hemp—call it by any name—for those who favour it to get high, marijuana, or bhaang in Hindi, is a substance with great allure. It’s seldom addressed by its botanical name Cannabis, which is believed to be a child of the native soil. The word “assassins”, derived from hashishins (“those who consume hashish”), can be traced to the Middle Ages in Western Asia, where professional assassins consumed hash before embarking on their murderous missions.