By Carl Greaux
In St. Kitts-Nevis and many other countries, it is illegal to have, buy or sell cannabis. According to the Drug (Prevention and Abatement of Misuse and Abuse of Drugs) Act, cannabis (except in the expression of cannabis resin) means any plant of the genus cannabis or any part of such plant (by whatever name designated) except that it does not include cannabis resin or any of following products after separation from the rest of the plant, namely – (a) the mature stalk of any such plant, (b) the fibre produced from mature stalk of any such plant, and (c) the seed of any such plant.
There is no proof that smoking this drug is healthy, but there is a lot of evidence to prove the opposite. Smoking cannabis increases your risk of developing pneumonia and other illnesses. There are more than 400 known chemicals in this drug.
It has not yet been proven that using cannabis leads to using other drugs. But, teenagers who smoke cannabis are more likely to try other drugs.
According to reports from the Traffic Department, using cannabis or other drugs increases your risk of injury in traffic accident when driving.
Research shows that cannabis use is three times more likely to lead to dependence among adolescents than among adult. Smoking cannabis affects your judgment, drains your motivation and can make you feel anxious.
Today, cannabis is more potent and its effects can be more intense. Research shows that the levels THC (the active ingredient in cannabis) rose from under two percent in the late1970s and 1980s to just over six percent in 2000. Sinsemilla potency also increased, rising from six percent in the late 1970s and 1980s to more than 13 percent in 2000. Recent research has also revealed THC levels of 20 percent or higher in some grades, due to refined cultivation techniques. Scientists concluded that St. Vincent weed has the most potency
in the world, followed by Jamaica. And guess who is in at fifth place? Yes, you guess it! It is St. Kitts-Nevis, with its sweet sinsemilla, which is also known as ‘sugar weed’.
Apoint to note: the THC damages the nerve cells in the part of the brain where memories are formed, making it hard to remember things. It can seriously affect your sense of time and your ability to do things that require coordination, such as driving.
In the region, cannabis is called high grade but there is nothing high about this drug, because research has shown that students who smoke it get low grades on their report cards and adult who smoke it get low performance and low productivity on their jobs as well as in their relationships.
How can you tell if your child, friend or co-worker is smoking cannabis? It is not easy to tell at times. But there are signs you can look for, such as dilated pupils, having red bloodshot eyes, having hard time remembering things that recently occurred, dryness of mouth, increase pulse rate, delusions and hallucinations, slow thinking and reflexes, acting weird for no apparent reason, etc.
Frequently asked questions to Police Officers are: “Is smoking weed less dangerous than smoking cigarettes? No. It’s even worse. One joint affects the lungs as much as four cigarettes. You should not smoke period. God gave you a nose to breathe air into and out of the body so you can live, not smoke. Can people become addicted to weed? Yes.
Research confirms you can become addicted to cannabis. Can cannabis help cure cancer? No. Some people with cancer, HIV/AIDS and other diseases claim to experience relief from pain and other symptoms that they attribute to cannabis use. Thus, scientific research has not yet confirmed these benefits and more research on this subject is being done. What is known, is that smoking cannabis can cause damage to the lungs.
So, these are the facts. Now act accordingly. Stop smoking cannabis, and those of you who do not, PLEASE don’t start.
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