Stories about marijuana

Dr. Biodun Ogungbo

I always ask my patients if they smoke cigarettes, take alcohol, sniff cocaine, smoke marijuana or take native drugs. Often, the answers to the questions are in the negative. Only one person in recent memory attested to smoking marijuana (weed), though not for a while, he says! Though, a few also laugh nervously and shift their eyes.

Marijuana is a plant containing a psychoactive chemical, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), in its leaves, buds and flowers. Marijuana is an illicit drug, even though the side effects are less harmful than those of most other drugs, including alcohol and tobacco. The short-term effects of marijuana include immediate but temporary changes in thoughts, perceptions, and information processing. Marijuana use can be medicinal or recreational.

Medicinal marijuana

Medicinal marijuana has been shown to be effective in reducing the nausea and vomiting induced by cancer chemotherapy. It helps to stimulate appetite in AIDS patients, and reported to help in reducing intraocular pressure in people with glaucoma. There is also appreciable evidence that marijuana reduces muscle spasticity in patients with neurological disorders. It is available by prescription from a doctor.

Recreational marijuana

Recreational marijuana is non-processed and highly variable in potency. This is where the problem lies. Marijuana use impairs a person’s ability to form new memories and to shift focus. Therefore, learning, doing complicated tasks is affected. It also disrupts coordination and balance by disrupting parts of the brain that regulate balance, posture, coordination, and reaction time. At some doses, marijuana affects perception and psychomotor performance – changes which could impair driving ability.

People under the influence of marijuana display diminished capacity to learn and recall new information. Occasionally, marijuana use may produce fear, distrust, altered sensory perceptions and feelings of being invincible. Other effects are feelings of panic, anxiety and paranoia which may be very frightening.

Marijuana users who have taken large doses of the drug may experience an acute psychosis, which includes hallucinations, delusions, and a loss of the sense of personal identity. That’s right-smoking weed creates the effect of temporary brain damage. Longer-lasting, schizophrenia-like disorders have also been associated with the use of cannabis in vulnerable individuals. And you would not know until your first drag which could be quite dangerous.

Story about Ade

Ade bought weed once and never again. This was to feel hip like his roommate who was fond of smoking it. However, he did not smoke the weed, but cooked and mixed it with beans. Afterwards, he decided to take a quick nap, but woke up about 20 minutes later. He was banging his head on the floor on which he slept, and couldn’t stop. His heart beat was fast, very loud and so audible as to be annoying. Everything was extra bright, extra loud and he felt really hot. A voice in his head advised him to take off his clothes and run. He did!

Worse, things escalated. He had a severe itch at the back of his head that wouldn’t go away no matter how hard he scratched it. He was also convinced that the beating in his chest was an evil spirit that could only be killed with a punch.

He felt a severe tightness in his chest. The voice in his head came again and asked him to punch himself in the chest. He punched and punched and even went out looking for people to punch him in the chest. After confessing to a nurse, she gave him a sleeping injection and he was knocked out for hours. When he eventually woke up, he felt ravenous and eat a whole loaf of bread, dry: without jam or butter.

Story about Deji

DEJI (not real name!) was cut on the head with a machete. He had gotten into a fight with some thugs who felt that he was disrespectful to them. The truth of course, was that on the particular day, Deji had smoked marijuana and was completely off his head. He was hallucinating, agitated and laughing un-necessarily. He did not even know he had been cut on the head till 2 weeks after the assault.

The Uruguay story

Uruguay became the first country in the world to actively legalise marijuana in December 2013. The country’s President, José Mujica, has been hailed by many people for taking a bold step in planning to allow users to cultivate the plant for non-commercial uses and grant licences to professional farmers for larger scale production. The plan includes a system of user registry, a tax, and quality control, all coordinated through the existing agency that monitors tobacco, alcohol, and pharmaceuticals. He stated: “Uruguay wants to make a ‘contribution to humanity’ by legalising marijuana.

In conclusion

Doctors are seeing more cases of acute anxiety, acute psychosis and mental illness due to drugs such as marijuana and chronic alcoholism. The multitude of unemployed young people is a fodder for disaster and a future of mentally deranged people. The fact is that you only need one drag to go off your head and into the deep end. It is better to read about other people’s stories than be the actor in the story!

Anyway, I am happy my patients don’t do drugs!