As I waited for my marijuana cigarettes or blunts as they are commonly known, I couldn’t help wondering the adverse effects weed has been having on me. My plug, who is always happy to see me, had broken down for me some of the positive effects he thought it had. This was definitely a way to retain me as client because my smoking rate had gone up.

I was first introduced to the drug in high school by a couple of friends of mine. They used it as a measure for “coolness”, so in the search for credit to my name I threw caution to the wind one day and decided to indulge. The first puff immediately threw me into a coughing frenzy. I almost quit that day but the cheering crowds behind me urged me on.

One blunt down. Things were starting to get interesting. I felt as if I had been dragged to a whole new world as a state of euphoria flooded my brain. No one seemed to notice as more and more blunts met their end on our lips. Either way no one cared about anything at this time we were so high. I remember that, that would be the first in a series of many sessions I was going to have.

Moving on to campus things escalated. I was now a seasoned weed smoker and slowly climbing the ranks of the hall of fame. The difference between the days I was starting out and now was that people had become more exposed to the drug. The more exposure they got the more receptive they were. No one considered weed as a drug but mostly a means to an end. It became a necessary commodity in any gatherings made by students and young people all over.

With the rise of popularity with the drug more and more people started using. It is estimated that approximately 50% of young adults worldwide aged between 18 and 25 years are frequent user. According to a survey done by Nacada between November and December of 2016 at least 1% of the general population in Kenya is using marijuana. This number grows on a daily basis.

What is Marijuana?

To understand the drug better I decided to dive deep in research and break down the drug itself. According to the DEA, Marijuana is a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act, meaning that it has a high potential for abuse, now currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. A lot of countries have not yet accepted weed despite it being declassified as schedule IV drug by the WHO.

Effects of Weed

Bhangi, as commonly known in Kenya, has both positive and negative effects. Some of these effects are dependent on the potency of the drug and period of use of the drug. Some of the effects of the drug are:

1. Affects the mental health. With the prolonged use of marijuana one may start experiencing adverse effects like loss of memory, anxiety, panic and may even lead to mental disorders.
2. Impairs decision making. While under the influence of weed, one can easily find themselves with clouded judgments, indecisiveness or even corrupt senses.
3. Causes a state of euphoria. When one uses weed, they trigger a release of the chemical dopamine which is responsible for the stimulation of pleasure.
4. Effects general health. In a recent article written by WebMD, it’s cited that weed can cause heart issues, hurt one’s lungs and weaken one’s immunity depending on period of use. This though is not common to all the marijuana users.

Things weren’t looking so bright for my smoking future. The effects I had read about so far were making me uneasy. I knew that although I enjoyed the euphoric feeling that every blunt I smoked gave me I had to be careful. One thing I noted in every cited effect, is that the adverse effects of Weed depended on how long you have used it and when you started using it.

In some studies, it showed that people who started using the drug as early as in their adolescence experienced worse effects than those who started in their adulthood. Same case applies to daily use as compared to occasional use. So, if you are a lover of the smoke like me please be advised. Check your smoking habits before they check you. Otherwise you will have less time to enjoy the smoke. Happy 4:20 to my fellow stoners. Mr. Coffee Pot signing out.