AIR-CLINIC WRITING CONTEST 24: The Marijuana Semaphore

As a professor of pharmacology at the Central University of Venezuela, it was a challenge to find the most pedagogical way to give my second semester students a class about psychoactive drugs and marijuana components. I felt it was a challenge, because I know that most of them are consumers (I hope that recreationally) of the plant. I also could not stop remembering my experiences when I was a student and the moments of joy that I lived with my classmates when we met to study and as always Juan González brought a portion with him. I remember that it caused us a very pleasant relaxing effect and it really allowed us to concentrate more intensely.

In those years there was only one type of marijuana and it was called in many ways, "mota", "hierba", "la verde"... Nowadays I now know that with the hydroponics and "inside door" crops, the drug scientists have managed to develop other strains of the plant that produces more intense effects and I have heard that with the "kreepy", boys and girls have had a bad trip.

To keep myself updated as a professional I had to investigate and I found out about the three psychotropic components that it contains: Tetrahydrocannabinol, Cannabinol and Cannabidiol. I had to find a way to explain how some are good for counteracting the ailments and conditions of many diseases such as cancer and AIDS. But I also had to show them that inadequate consumption could cause them adverse situations for their health. The worst thing he could do was encourage them to consume. Especially because my friend Juan González never finished his studies, since he was prone to psychotic attacks and developed schizophrenia (according to the doctors) because of the high doses of marijuana.

I think my pedagogy helped a lot when I managed to develop the didactic method that I called The Marijuana Semaphore. Where I indicated to my students what were the beneficial psychoactive components and what not, of this legendary plant.