Dope. Weed. Ganja. Mary Jane. Marijuana has more names than P Diddy and an even bigger celebrity following (just ask Rihanna and Lil Wayne) but despite its hippie reputation, the drug can in fact be very dangerous. Here’s why it’s illegal and how to find help for addicts.

Marijuana, cannibas or dagga refers to the leaves of the Cannabis Sativa plant and is often smoked, occasionally baked and sometimes sipped in tea. Fans of the drug will tell go to great lengths to tell you that it’s not addictive but rather a natural way to take the edge off.

And while it’s true, dagga can make you feel calm, relaxed and happy it also has some not so great side effects like:

• Short-term memory loss
• Learning problems
• Difficulty thinking clearly
• Loss of coordination
• Anxiety attacks
• A supressed immune system
• Paranoia
• Depression
• Need we go on?

Australian singer-songwriter Sia (from David Guetta’s Bullet Proof and Titanium) recently revealed that she blames her bipolar disorder on smoking weed as teenager.

Studies have in fact shown Dagga to be highlight addictive – both physically and psychologically.  And being addicted to any substance is a problem. Not to mention the fact that dagga is illegal and getting caught with it can result in some pretty serious penalties, including jail time.

If you or someone you care about has a dagga problem, it’s time to confront the issue and get help. 

Contact SANCA (The South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency) by visiting their website www.sancanational.org or calling them on 011 781 6410