The number of Cannabis addicted patients, generally between 18 to 25 years of age, is increasing over the years.
Abhinav Kumar
Abhaya Addiction Recovery Centre Bangalore treated 350 patients in the year 2017-2018. Hitesh Kumar, a student, said, “I started using Cannabis in school and now the addiction increased to a level so high, that my family had to admit me in this addiction centre.”
Doctors explained, “When marijuana is smoked, THC and other chemicals in the plant pass from the lungs to the bloodstream, which rapidly carries them throughout the body and to the brain. The person begins to experience effects almost immediately (see ‘How does marijuana produce its effects?’). Many people experience a pleasant euphoria and a sense of relaxation. Other common effects, which may vary dramatically among different people, include heightened sensory perception like brighter colours, laughter, altered perception of time, and increased appetite.”
Anzar Ahmed, another student, said, “In the first year of my college I got addicted to weed But four months of treatment in Abhaya Addiction Recovery Center helped me to get out of my addiction..”
Anirudh, an employee of ITC, said, “It is my second month of treatment for my drug addiction. As a market representative, my job requires me to fulfil targets that causes tension, and hence I started doing drugs, leading to addiction.”
Dr. Shiv Kumar MD – General Medicine, DM – Neurology, said, “In case of addiction we treat our patients very delicately because in many cases they turn out to be irritated and depressed.”
Shadaan Ahamad, father of Anzar, said, “In observation of Dr. Jagdish Kumar, my son recovered within five months and now he is clean and not addicted to any kind of drug.”
Jagdish Kumar, Manager of Abhaya Addiction Recovery Centre, said, “Not all patients are admitted to addiction centre directly. Our doctors take decisions depending on their situation.. During their treatment, many programs run from morning to evening, which includes counselling session, game session, medication session, etc.”
Dr. A. Jagdish Kumar (Psychiatrist), said, “People do not realize when their habit turns into their addiction. Any type of addiction is bad for health if anyone is suffering from it; needs to be taken care of by their family members, because the addiction can make them violent and depressed.”
Dr.Manoj Kumar Sharma, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences , said “ even after the treatment there is a chance of patient getting back to addiction. Not every time there is significant impacts on physical or emotional functioning of patient. Effects suggest that number needed to treat to benefit is high, and number needed to treat to harm is low.”
