Mthandazo Ndlovu
2019 is a year of being informed and proactive in the subject of drug alcohol and substances of abuse, as they continue to fast consume the young and the old due to having little knowledge on the subject.
This week I will take time to respond to the questions that have been coming through. One concerned parent asked about the effects and dangers of the ganja cake or marijuana scone, which have become common among the youths.
The ganja cake is a form of poly drugging and has what we call quick dependency on the substances as the withdrawal effects are unbearable, the user finds themselves needing more of the cake or scone as now their body and their mind relays information that it cannot function without and as such there is an increase in the intake of it in trying to settle the body down .
Of concern also are the substances that are used to make these ganja cakes or scones .Different drugs in varied quantities are used , no proper measuring is done and as such an overdose is common especially among the youths as their bodies are still growing and not ready to deal with the chemicals contained therein .
Mbanje, ngoma the cough mixture, the mood stabiliser medications, alcohol plus 50 percent content. The common side effects that surfaced among the users are dizziness , nausea, disorientation , hallucination among others. Others have expressed feeling as if there are ants under their skin and scratch their skins and others go to the extent of cutting their skin as they try to relieve themselves of the uncomfortable irritation.
Others have also stated that they have found themselves being suicidal and finding life meaningless as the substance decreases in their system they feel low.
Since these are young people and still growing, there is more damage done in them ranging from slowness of the mind and not being in present time. Moreso they are in their period of growing and as such even some of their internal organs become affected such as the heart, the liver, the kidneys, the brain and also body muscles among others.
How dangerous are the perorates one concerned individual asked, the use of these is a clear indicator of total addiction and dependency on a substance , but then one is no longer getting the effects that they used to get and they begin to mix with other substances believing that they will get the high. Now with perorates these are chemicals that are hazardous to health and their dangerous effects are unmeasurable , some users of such have died having taken the substance, and some suffered paralysis as the nerves and muscles have been affected and some have suffered blankness not knowing what transpired.
These also have a quick tolerance and the users are found looking for another chemical that can give them the high feeling they want as the previous one would no longer give the effect .
Industrial alcohol is very dangerous as the use and abuse of alcohol in its purest state makes it a depressant and too much of it can shut the body down and lead to death. Now industrial alcohol contains a higher percentage of alcohol concentration plus the other chemicals added to it and this has adverse effects, like cancer of the stomach, damaged liver, pancreas and kidneys, mouth cancer and also the collapse of the body muscles leading to semi paralysis.
λ Mthandazo Ndlovu is a drug prevention and rehabilitation specialist. For more information and help call or whatsapp 00263772399734 or email mthae4jesus @gmail.com and join the Rechabites in building drug free healthy and productive communities .
