BY ANOZIE EGOLE
Unknown to people, there are many hidden
nutritional values in the mostly condemned
Marijuana. While majority condemn its
intake, many youths see that as the only
source of inspiration with many nutritional
values.
For a 24 year old Nathaniel , an
undergraduate of Nnamdi Azikiwe
University, who is in Lagos because of the
ongoing ASUU strike, he started smoking
Marijuana at the age of 20 when he gained
admission into the higher institution. His
first experience when he smoked it still
remains evergreen in his memory, that he
felt he can never be normal again.
“The first day I smoked Igboo is one of the
days I cannot forget in a hurry. I had a
friend, who is an addict in smoking. So, one
day when we hung out with some friends,
after drinking, he brought the wrap and told
me that if I take this, it will clear the alcohol I
took and it will make me look and appear
very smart. So, after much conviction, I
decided to try it. I first drew the first smoke
inside, they clapped for me and said that
was the way to do it, that I should take it
gradually.
Marijuana
Marijuana
I never knew when I finished almost one
wrap alone. When I was done with that, it
was obvious to me that I was in for a big
trouble. It was as if they added an extra
flesh on one side of my skull. My skull was
going towards one direction. I felt as if
there was gutter all over the road and I
started leaping.
My friends started laughing but when they
noticed the thing was getting out of hand,
they grabbed me, sat me down in one place
and prepared a very big bowl of garri
without sugar for me. After drinking the
garri, I was still hungry.
I felt very weak and slept off and woke up in
the middle of the night. When I woke up the
next day, I was feeling very hungry as if I
had been starving for more than one week.
I ate like never before and I slept off again.
When I woke up, I was very happy.
Everything around me made me laugh. Even
when you cursed me, I would laugh over it,”
he recalled.
According to Nathaniel, though his parents
were seriously against his consumption of
Marijuana, he made them to believe that, he
felt so comported and understood
everything he read whenever he smoked.
“It was not easy making my parents see
reasons why they should allow me smoke,
though I never did that in their presence.
For me to read and understand well, I must
smoke. Even when I want to go in for any
examination, I must smoke so that I will
remember all that I have read and be able to
put them together well. I am in my third year
now and I made good grade.
So, smoking has never stopped me from
reading and passing my examinations. If I
am about to write an exam and I have not
smoked, I’d feel I have not read. So I don’t
seem to believe it when people say that
Marijuana is not good for health. But if you
know it does not work for you, stop
smoking it,” Nathaniel advised.
As against the belief of most people that
Marijuana is very bad to health, Peter, has a
point to prove. To Peter, the best medicine a
depressed man who lost appetite could take
is Marijuana. He is one of the people that
used to believe that Marijuana is not good
until he confirmed from a medical
practitioner that most sleeping drugs that
also boost appetite are produced with a
higher percentage of that.
“ I strongly disagree that Marijuana makes
people mad, it is all lies. If you take it the first
two to three times and you cannot stand it, I
will advise you to quit.
It is very good and highly medicinal. I
started smoking at a very tender age and up
till now, I am still intact, I am even better
than some people that do not take it.
Whenever I want to be in my best mood, I
normally go for that. I talk less when I
smoke and I think more. You can’t say I have
quarrelled with you after smoking, why
would you not want me to smoke since it is
good for my own health?, ” he said.
Peter also insists that as far as he is
concerned, he doesn’t think anything can
make him not to do his thing.
While some seem to applaud this weed,
Kunle, a graduate of Lagos State University,
LASU, has a different side to this story. He
strongly believes that behind every big crime
committed in an area, you’d find out that
most perpetrators of the crime are
Marijuana smokers and in most cases, they
smoked before executing their crime. In his
words,
“ Why would a normal man tell me that
Marijuana is good for health when most
criminals are smokers of marijuana. Though
I have not tasted that before , I know and
people around me know that Igboo inspires
people to think about crime, it has no
positive inspiration,” Kunle cautioned.
According to Kunle, if there is a way to
stamp out the intake of this weed, we are
going to find out that there will be higher
rate of responsible youths.
“Many youths are out of school because they
joined their friends in taking what they
know is not good for their health. Generally,
smoking is not good for health. I have this
young and vibrant dude in my village, he is
one of the boys I respected so much. But,
where is he today?
He now walks about the village mad, no
thanks to Marijuana. When he started this
earlier, everybody in the village were against
that.He was warned to desist from it, but
youthful exuberance led him to that. Now he
has ruined his future. I will advise youths to
stay away from that. It has no nutritional
value. Anybody that says Igboo is good for
health is a liar. Parents should warn their
children to desist from this act.”

Dip down ina d earth were me put d ganja......babylon cum an lite it up on fire.....meeeee chyant!!!! ...big chune muan!