Wendel Abel - I AM WHAT I THINK THE USE of ganja has been the focus of much discussion and is highly controversial. This is the first of a two-part series, in which I shall attempt to present some facts on ganja.
WHAT IS GANJA?
Ganja is the Indian word for Cannabis. It is also known as marijuana, pot, and weed. There are over 200 slang terms for ganja. It comes from the hemp plant. Cannabis sativa was introduced into Jamaica by East Indians about 1845. Today, Cannabis sativa is widely grown in Jamaica and is used by Jamaicans for a number of purposes.
WHAT IS A GANJA CIGARETTE?
This consists of leaves, small stems and flowers, which are crushed and made into cigarettes or spliff using regular paper or the popular rizla paper, which can be bought.
WHAT IS SINSEMILLA AND HASHISH?
Sinsemilla is derived from the flowers of the female plant and it is very potent. Hashish is prepared from the clear, sticky varnish-like oil that is produced by the flowers. It is produced as oil or
compressed into cakes or loaves. It is very potent.
WHAT DOES GANJA CONTAIN?
Ganja contains 400 known chemical substances and of these 400 chemicals only 70 are unique to the Cannabis plant. These 70 chemicals are referred to as cannabinoids. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinoids (THC) is the main active ingredient in ganja.
WHY IS GANJA USED?
The rastafarians use it for religious ceremonial purposes. Ganja is widely used in religious practices among some Hindu groups in India and this may have influenced practice here in Jamaica. Rubin and Comitas reported that religious users report "it promotes clarity of thought and peace of mind and makes man at one with the universe."
Cannabis is also used for recreational purposes and is a drug of choice in mass gatherings such as political rallies and music festivals in Jamaica. The use of the drugs increases the aesthetic appreciation of music. "When I use ganja, the music just sound sweeter," reported one individual.
The drug is also used worldwide in many countries during physical labour. Rubin and Comitas noted that farmers and labourers in Jamaica, reported that they are able to work harder. "It mek me work like di holy hell", "I get a stronger sensation towards mi work, more dan when I doan have it."
CAN GANJA BE USED A MEDICINE?
Ganja has been used throughout history as a medicinal agent. It was used, and is still used, extensively by the Chinese, Indians, the Arabs and in Africa. In the USA, it was used in medicine between 1850 and 1937, the use became unpopular with the marijuana tax act of 1937. It is reported that at one time there were 28 approved preparations containing marijuana on the market in the USA at one time.
Here in Jamaica ganja is used to treat a number of conditions in folk medicine such as asthma, glaucoma, depression and period pains. Many persons with mental disorders use ganja as it provides some amount of relief, especially of depressive symptoms. A number of pharmaceutical agents have been developed from the plant. These include Canasol which was developed in Jamaica to treat glaucoma. Another preparation, Asmasol, used to treat asthma, was developed in Jamaica. In the USA, where ganja is classified as a schedule-1 controlled substance, Marinol was developed. Marinol is used to treat nausea and vomiting that occurs with some cancer treatment and to promote weight gain in persons with poor appetite.
HOW WIDESPREAD IS ITS USE IN JAMAICA?
The chart below compares the use of cannabis with other drugs. Thirty-nine per cent of the secondary school population surveyed in 1997 admitted to ever using Cannabis and 10 per cent admitted to using it in the past 30 days. Alcohol and cigarettes are more widely used than ganja.
Do Jamaicans believe that ganja is harmful?
A number of studies, done in Jamaica, attest to the extent to which the use of ganja is widely accepted here. Melanie Dreher reported in 1984 that 50 per cent of the Jamaicans thought the consumption of ganja was not serious. In 1972, Vera Rubin and Lambert Comitas reported that 60 per cent of males were users in one rural community and that Cannabis is well integrated into Jamaican lifestyles. Ken Douglas, in a study conducted among students in 1997, reported that 66 per cent of students judged regular use of ganja to be of great risk and only 30.9 per cent judged occasional use of ganja as being of great risk.
HAS LEGISLATION REDUCED GANJA USE IN JAMAICA?
It would appear not. Jamaica has had some of the harshest legislation against the use of ganja and over the years legislations have not been effective in reducing use.
Legislation
Part 2 - The effects of ganja on the body
Dr. Wendel Abel is a Consultant Psychiatrist and Senior Lecturer, University of the West Indies.
