Historique
Chapitre
Social and medical aspects of the use of cannabis in Brazil
(Les aspects sociaux et médicaux de l'usage de cannabis au Brésil)
in :
Auteur(s) :
RUBIM DE PINHO, A.
Année
1975
Page(s) :
p. 293-302
Langue(s) :
Anglais
Éditeur(s) :
La Hague : Mouton publishers
ISBN :
978-90-279-7669-7
Refs biblio. :
7
Domaine :
Drogues illicites / Illicit drugs
Thésaurus mots-clés
CANNABIS
;
HISTOIRE
;
CONSOMMATION
;
PSYCHOPATHOLOGIE
Thésaurus géographique
BRESIL
Résumé :
Cannabis seeds were brought to Brazil by African slaves, mainly from Angola by the first half of the fifteenth century. Cultivation was concentrated in the northeast areas of sugar cane plantations and cannabis was used for curing, religious rites, divination and mystic hallucinations. Marihuana use has spread among fishermen and longshoremen in the coastal cities and became known as the "opium of the poor". A study of prisoners revealed a high incidence of marihuana use. Various studies include the findings that acute effects of smoking are conditioned by the plant material and the nutritional status and personality of the user among other factors. The influence of regular smoking (one to three per night) was not evident in the work or ethical conduct of professional drivers. Clinical examinations of fifteen heavy smokers did not reveal any pathology. In a study of 728 patients at the psychiatric hospital in Bahia, it was found that the role of marihuana was not a significant factor. Both constitutional and pharmacological factors should be considered. Acute schizophrenic psychoses occurred in some young people who were involved in youth movements and were known to have used marihuana. Complete and rapid remission of the psychoses occurred. It becomes difficult to delimit the etiological role of cannabis, in view of multiple pharmaco-dependencies among certain users and the diametrically opposed views of the mental consequences of chronic cannabis use taken by psychiatrists who diagnose acute reactions accordingly. (Author' s abstract)
Affiliation :
Dept. of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Federal Univ. of Bahia
Brésil. Brazil.
Brésil. Brazil.
Cote :
L00044