Thursday, November 17, 2016

Overdose of Marijuana (Bhang) Management

CANNABIS SATIVA (MARIJUANA)

It is commonly known as marijuana. Cannabis is referred to in different names. The names include: Hemp, Ganja, grass, Hashis, pot, reefer and weed. Cannabis contains a chemical (THC) delta -9 tetrahydrocannabinol which is believed to be responsible for most of the characteristics psychoactive effects of cannabis.
Medical uses of cannabis
Research has resulted in development and marketing of dronabinol and cannabinoid products.
·        Marinol (dronabinal) is used for control of nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapeutic agents used in treatment of cancer and stimulates appetite in HIV/AIDS patients.
·        Cesamet (nabilone) is used for control of nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapeutic agents used in the treatment of cancer.
A temporary overdose of marijuana can occur and is called green out .It is important to understand temporary overdose of marijuana will not result in permanent disability or death but can be quite common in people who have not used the drug before.
The following are symptoms of too much marijuana in the system:
Ø  Temporary feelings of paranoia, fear and anxiety
Ø  Shortness of breath
Ø  Pupil dilation
Ø  Vomitting and nausea
Ø  First heart rate
Ø  Shaking that is hard to control, feeling cold.
Ø  Disorientation or hallucinations.
How to treat marijuana overdose symptoms
Slight cases of green out will usually go away on its own in few hours without treatment.
Keep an eye on the person and offer fluids and rest.
Watch for symptoms that warrant further medical care such as : trouble breathing, pale skin color, first heart rate and responsiveness.
Medical personnel will focus the treatment on alleviating the symptoms. They can give anti-anxiety medications.
Medication to control the heart rate and blood pressure are given.
Intravenous fluids may be administered and they will be watched in a controlled environment with doctors standing by to handle any further health complications.
First aid and emergencies
Call 911 if the person has collapsed or stopped breathing.
1.      Begin CPR,if necessary
If the person is not breathing or breathing dangerously weak: For a child start CPR for children and for an adult starts adult CPR.
The FDA has approved a prescription treatment that can be used by family members or care givers to treat a person known or suspected to have had opioid overdose. Opioids include various prescription pain medications and illicit street drugs .An overdose is characterized by slowed breathing and heart rate and a loss of consciousness. Evzio (naloxene hydrochloride infection) rapidly delivers a single dose of the drug naloxene via a hand held auto –injector that can be carried in a pocket or stored in a medicine cabinet. Although Evzio can counter overdose effects within minutes, professional medical help is still needed.
2.      Contact poison control
Call poison control.
Poison control experts will advise you how to proceed.
Do not try to make the person vomit or give the person anything to eat or drink.
3.      Collect Drug or Pills
Give drug or pills the person may have taken to the emergency team, or take them to the emergency room or doctor’s office.
4.      Follow up
At the hospital, the person’s stomach may be pumped .Activated charcoal may be given by mouth to absorb the drug.
A psychiatric evaluation will be ordered if the overdose was intentional.
Acute complications of marijuana/Cannabis.
  • ·        Impaired thinking up to twenty four hours
  • ·        Coordination difficulty
  • ·        Short term memory loss up to several  weeks
  • ·        Traffic  accidents
  • ·        Seizures- in people with epilepsy
  • ·        Psychotic episode- especially in people with schizophrenia
 Long-term complications of chronic marijuana/cannabis
  • ·        Apathy
  • ·        Loss of energy
  • ·        Boredom
  • ·        Loss of interest in various activities
  • ·        Concentration problems
  • ·        Memory problems
  • ·        Learning difficulty(learning disabilities)
  • ·        Reduced libido
  • ·        Reduced sperm count
  • ·        Irregular menstruation
  • ·        Psychotic symptoms
  • ·        Cannabis dependence
  • ·        Cannabis withdrawal
  • ·        Socially or family problems
  • ·        Poor performance at school
  • .     poor performance at work

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