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OUR CAGES “Kif, good quality, cheap, good deal my friend...”. My new pal, who introduced himself as Hassan, took what looked to me like an eternity attempting to sell his precious Kif to me when he saw me seating in a coffee shop in Chefchaouen, a town in the Rif mountains of Morocco. Kif a.k.a. Hashish, is what could be identified as the Cannabis resin and differentiates from marijuana because the last is essentially the dried leaf of the plant, therefore, less strong. Hashish is a brown paste that is generally smoked, and in some cases, it is consumed as is, like the notorious “stuffed” brownies. “Shukran Hassan, Shukran”. Overall, these are the magic words in Northern Africa if you want to get rid of an annoying dealer, which is quite frequent. However, Hassan was persistent, and he knew better since the Rif region in Morocco is better known for being the main Hashish-producing zone that reaches Europe. Chefchaouen, besides its cultural singularity, is one of the temples of this Cannabis derivate. So, dealers like Hassan invade the streets looking for foreign clients, seeking the same deed. This is illegal of course, but authorities use to turn a blind eye in certain zones such as Chefchaouen; however, in the rest of the region, this causes instability and insecurity, like in Ketama, a town frequently visited by “hardcore” Europeans, which locals persuaded me not to go. The legend tells that the term “Assassin” comes from the Arab “Hashshashin” or Hashish smoker, a member of an Ismaili Muslim sect who populated what is now known as Iran. The word was that they kidnapped children to turn them into addicts and killing machines. It is unlikely that the Hashish effects would turn those children into angels of death since
Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, the active ingredient of Cannabis that produces more relaxing and somnolence effects. But the bone was rolled for Hashish; likewise, other substances considered addictive, its approval over the centuries has come and gone. The question is whether is worthy to prohibit this drug in Morocco and the rest of the world since it happens that anyone can invent themselves their addictions: compulsive gambling, alcohol, sex, smoking, working, etc. The stigma bore by these substances comes from early studies in rats where their addiction grew unabated, however, a small detail was not considered: rats were alone in their cages; they had nothing to do but get high. When the experiment was repeated sometime later with groups of rats, the situation changed: an overwhelming majority preferred the social interaction than the consumption of addictive substances. With this, I do not attempt to simplify the complex problem of addictions, but to assess the kind of society we live in and the requirements imposed on us since, in many cases, a lonely cage is the outcome.
Dante Alducin Q.F.B. with the Specialization in Leading People and Teams program by the University of Michigan. He has 12 years of experience in Clinical Research. Founder of Blast! Academy and host of the Ruido Blast! podcast.
Why do we work until chronic exhaustion? why drinking or smoking until death? why smoking is cool? is it necessary to eat snacks only because it represents our typical cuisine? Depression, violence, burnouts, diabetes, hypertension, and some other consequences from our addictions make look the Hashish effects negligible, however, the drug is publicly condemned. The Cannabis era is coming, go ahead with it. I am more concerned about having a more balanced and human experience; to stop killing each other for alien demands and enjoying life.
THE EXPERT’S OPINION |
