A teenager smoking cannabis is stoned, encountering hallucinations and has glassy red eyes.
It is a plantation drug and there are different forms of cannabis one is referred to as “bhaang” which is legal in India, the other form’s which are commonly smoked and is referred to as gaanja, charas, hash, weed, marijuana.
This drug has become very popular and commonly accepted among teenagers and is also the most used illegal drug in India.
Cannabis plant has an active ingredient Tetrahydrocannabinol(THC) that makes you feel high.
HISTORY- Cannabis has history in India dating back to 1500 BC, it was used for spiritual and religious purposes, till date bhaang is consumed on the hindu festival “holi”.
Facts
More than 40 % college kids admitted to smoking cannabis as on 2015.
SYMPTOMS
- Red or glassy eyes
- Headache
- Abnormal Appetite
- Weight loss
- Hallucinations
SERIOUS SIDE AFFECTS OF CANNABIS
Cannabis is now being legalised across the globe for medical and recreational purposes as it has been found helpful in treatment of diabetic, mental and cancer patients, But because the drug is illegal in India there is no quality control and it has been found that the drug is sold in highly adulterated forms and dangerous chemicals are mixed in it.
They have the following side effects on the body :-
- Memory loss
- Lung and throat infection
- Increases heart rate
- Low blood pressure
- Affects blood sugar
- Brain damage
- Impotency
- Insomnia in its absence
Case Studies
Mr P K, age 21 started smoking weed a couple of years back with his college friends. He really enjoyed it in the beginning and the high he got after smoking weed made him laughing and happy. As time passed he started smoking excessively about 7-8 joints in a day to attain the same satisfaction. He started encountering memory loss (as he used to forget what he did the previous day and where he had kept his belongings), accompanied by sleeping problems( he couldn’t sleep until he smoked a joint before going to bed), then he started using alcohol with weed and would frequently black out after heavy drinking and smoking sessions. He started bunking college and tuitions to get high and his friends circle got limited to only those who smoked weed and drank alcohol. He soon overdosed on alcohol and weed; he was rushed to the hospital with low BP and irregular heartbeat. After this incident, he agreed for professional counselling and treatment and came to the clinic along with his parents.
