Evaluation of Some Haematological Parameters Among Marijuana Smokers In Yenagoa, Nigeria.

Abstract

The study investigated the effect of marijuana smoking on some haematological parameters of smokers in comparison to non-smokers. Blood samples were collected from one hundred and eighty nine randomly selected male voluntary marijuana smokers (test) and one hundred non-smokers (control) resident in Yenagoa, Nigeria. All subjects were between 18-50 years. The haematological parameters analysed include haemoglobin concentration (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), total white cell count (WBC), red blood cell count (RBC), differential white cell count, platelet count (PLT); using Sysmex SX-1000i automated haematology analyser; erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), using Westergren method; prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) using method adopted from Dacie and Lewis, 1994. There was no significant difference in the PCV, Hb, Total WBC, RBC, PT, APTT, PLT, monocyte count, and basophil count between the test subjects and the controls (p>0.05).  But there was a significant decrease in neutrophil count in the test subjects when compared with the controls (p<0.05). Also, there was a significant increase in ESR, lymphocyte count and eosinophil count in the test subjects when compared with the controls (p<0.05). This study has shown that marijuana usage results in marked differences in some haematological parameters which may lead to inflammation, reduced immunity and ability to fight infections by the users.

Keywords: Evaluation, haematological parameters, cannabinoids.