Cannabis & heart!
We hear suggestions being voiced favoring the legalization of Cannabis (Marijuana) to increase foreign earnings to Sri Lanka.
I, as a responsible citizen of Sri Lanka and a Cardiologist engaged in public health in Sri Lanka, ask the question, why do we need to promote encouraging the cultivation of Cannabis that is sure to endanger public safety and damage health?
๐๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐๐ง๐ง๐๐๐ข๐ฌ!
Sri Lanka is a country renowned for its natural beauty, & hospitality and attracts tourists from across the globe. This magnificent island nation produces the finest Ceylon Tea, Rubber, Coconuts, and numerous healthy & aromatic spices. Rare and luxurious collections of arts and crafts, gems, and jewellery are brought to you by our local talents. With all these riches available to us, why should we as a country, take the risk and indulge ourselves in promoting Cannabis? This is a weed/ drug that is considered & linked to dangerous narcotics causing many ill-effect on the human body. We should not nurse a vision that will lower the quality of our lives. Instead, why not endorse the aforementioned local businesses and provide them with adequate support and relief that will likely lead to an escalation of foreign earnings?
Some argue that Cannabis is a “soft drug” that is similar to alcohol and is different from illicit drugs such as cocaine & heroin. These facts could not have been more uninformed & misleading! Cannabis unlike alcohol or tobacco is consumed to the point of complete intoxication. The effects of intoxication last well beyond the period of use and leave a negative impact on the user’s cognitive ability. Studies also show that more than 30% of Cannabis users become addicted and dependent on the drug. If their use ceases, they exhibit compulsive behaviors and withdrawal symptoms. Cannabis causes involuntary violence, lowers job efficiency, and endangers public safety. As a result of Cannabis, most users have a lack of motivation. This leads to job insecurity and reduced quality of life as they are unable to support themselves and their families.
๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ, ๐๐๐๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ผ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐น๐ผ๐ป๐ด-๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ-๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ผ๐น๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐น๐๐ป๐ด๐, ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐.
Researchers at Stanford Medicine have conclusively shown that prolonged use of cannabis can lead to an increased risk of heart disease.
โAs more states legalize the recreational use of marijuana, users need to be aware that it could have cardiovascular side effectsโ – Joseph Wu, MD, Ph.D. professor of cardiovascular medicine and radiology, and the director of the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute.
โMarijuana has a significantly adverse effect on the cardiovascular system. As more states legalize marijuana use, I expect we will begin to see a rise in heart attacks and strokes in the coming years. Our studies of human cells and mice clearly outline how THC exposure initiates a damaging molecular cascade in the blood vessels.โ- Instructor of medicine Mark Chandy, MD, Ph.D.
๐๐ฑ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต.
The Vascular endothelium is the innermost cellular lining of arteries, veins, and capillaries and is in direct contact with the components and cells of the blood.
The main ingredient in cannabis, also known as “the main mind-altering ingredient”, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), promotes vascular inflammation, oxidative stress, and endothelial dysfunction.
Dysfunctional Endothelium allows ‘Bad’ cholesterol (LDL) in the blood and other dangerous particles to enter the inner layers of blood vessels, generating lipid deposits (Atheromatous plaques) that cause the vessel lumen to shrink. Additionally, endothelial dysfunction might cause a sudden narrowing of the heart arteries, which would cut off the heart’s ability to receive blood. Both scenarios carry the risk of angina, a heart attack, an irregular heartbeat, and possibly sudden death.
๐ฆ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ณ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป!
The young generation of any country is the hope and future of the nation. In addition to harmful cardiovascular effects, Cannabis addiction at a young age may affect a child’s brain development, harming both their future and that of our nation.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ ๐ป๐ผ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป ๐ฑ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ฎ๐ฟ๐. ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ, ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐น๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ, ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ฟ๐!