In areas around Tema in Ghana, the drink is known as "Shocker", "Amen" in Osu, and "Wengeze" in Adabraka. For the people of East Legon, the drink is termed "Atemuda".
Mildred Europa Taylor
The practice, also known as Green Dragon, is apparently not new, as it is already trending in certain geographic areas (File photo)
I have always thought that alcohol mixed with cannabis was only used to heal wounds, at least from what I've seen in movies. But, I was taken aback when I came across its current use in some communities in Ghana.
A muscular man, probably in his early 30s, shirtless in briefs and
covered in sweat outraged my community on Easter Sunday, after he began
throwing tantrums, hitting cars, attacking innocent children and other
community members at random.
I was returning from church with my mother, but I was forced to
stop a few metres to the gate of my house, over fears that the man might attack
my mother and I in the vehicle.
It later took the intervention of strong, able-bodied men in the
neighbourhood to calm the situation, as they escorted the man to an isolated
room in the neighbourhood.
So, as curious as I was to find out the reasons behind the man's
strange behaviour, I approached one of my neighbours who had previously been at
the scene of the incident.
She told me that the man was high following the alcohol he had at
the drinking spot opposite my home. When I sought to find out why a man could
behave this abnormally over a pint of alcohol, the woman quickly told me that
the 'wee' in the alcohol is the cause of the problem.
'Wee' in alcohol? I was shocked; I mean why should weed or
cannabis be infused with alcohol and be sold to customers, I wondered.
So I asked a few people, and the answer was “It's normal”, as it
causes one to be “high”.
But, should it be so? Well, this happens to be one of the few
aftermaths of consuming alcohol mixed with weed.
The practice, also known as Green Dragon, is apparently not new,
as it is already trending in certain geographic areas. It involves weed soaked
in high-proof alcohol.
In areas around Osu, the drink is termed "Amen"
In areas around Tema in Ghana, the drink is known as "Shocker", "Amen" in Osu, and "Wengeze" in Adabraka. For the people of East Legon, the drink is termed "Atemuda".
However, "getting high", no matter how you do it, has
health risks that could be permanent.]
Ghana's Food and Drugs Authority [FDA], has underscored the need
to regulate the production and consumption of alcohol in the country.
The Authority has, over the years, said it will ensure that
alcohol products are produced under safe and hygienic conditions.
The Food and Drugs Authority
The FDA has also said that it will pay frequent visits to alcohol
producing companies to ensure that the producers adhere to the safety and
hygienic guidelines governing the production of alcohol. But how often are such
visits being done? How can we ensure that retailers of the product are not
engaging in unwholesome practices to increase sales?
It behooves the Authority and other regulatory agencies to step up
their game.
So, as we reflect on these thoughts, here are some reasons as to
why the practice of allegedly infusing 'weed' into alcohol should be nipped in
the bud.
1. The practice results in greening out, a term used to
describe a situation where a person may feel sick after smoking marijuana. The
individuals may go pale and sweaty, feel dizzy with “the spins,” nauseous, and
may even start vomiting, medicaldaily.com has said.
2. Mixing alcohol and marijuana can also
cause paranoia, which makes people make flawed or even fatal choices.
Alcohol and marijuana are both depressants, which work by slowing down the
central nervous system, Psychology Today has said.
An ingredient of marijuana is THC that is absorbed into the blood
faster when alcohol is also present.
Effects of using these substances together can be very
unpredictable, as it could cause anxiety, panic, or terror in people who
use both substances at the same time.
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