"Even cannabis can cause strokes": Top neurologist Dr (Col) Joy Dev Mukherji

Dr Col Joy Dev Mukherji one of Indias leading neurologists has issued a stark warning against the growing social acceptance of recreational and party drugs stressing that even cannabis can trigger strokes seizures and cardiac complications and that the practise is driving a worrying rise in young patients arriving with severe neurological emergenciesSpeaking in an ANI podcast Dr Mukherji who has over 28 years of clinical experience and served in the Armed Forces Medical Services before joining Max Healthcare in 2006 said there is absolutely no justification for drug use He described its growing social acceptance as deeply alarmingNo way can we justify using drugs Unfortunately it has become so rampant that it is getting social acceptance which is incorrect and absolutely harmful to the core Any kind of drug will cause all kinds of problems It can cause strokes Even cannabis can cause strokes It can cause headaches and it can cause lung problems It can cause cardiac problems This is wellknown he saidDr Mukherji alleged that such substances are being portrayed as harmless by vested interests while categorically rejecting the notion of safe party drugsPeople take it because it is being propagated by the powers that be who are behind pushing these drugs that it is good and it is harmless and all that All that is being propagated I feel there is an ulterior motive behind it It is clearly unequivocally harmful Dr Mukherji saidTheres nothing like a party drug It is all being pushed as a party drug It has been coloured as a party drug As if it will enhance your some psychedelic mind or something like that But I think its absolutely wrong its unequivocally dangerous he addedAccording to the 2019 data from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment cannabis and opioids are among the most commonly used substances in IndiaAbout 28 per cent of the population31 crore peoplereported using some form of cannabis in the previous yearCannabis consumption includes bhang which is used by about 2 per cent or 22 crore people and illegal forms such as ganja and charas which are used by about 12 per cent or 13 crore people The highest prevalence of cannabis use is found in Uttar Pradesh Punjab Sikkim Chhattisgarh and DelhiMeanwhile opioid use is reported among 21 per cent of the population with 226 crore people covering opium heroin and pharmaceutical opioidsHeroin is the most commonly used opioid nationally with 114 per cent followed by pharmaceutical opioids at 096 per cent and opium at 052 per centThe highest opioid prevalenceover 10 per centis recorded in Sikkim Arunachal Pradesh Nagaland Manipur and MizoramWhen asked whether he is witnessing an increase in druglinked neurological cases among young people the senior neurologist confirmed a visible trendYes definitely Maybe not too many of them But once a week we see a patienta young boy 20 years old 30 years oldwith a partyrelated stroke or a partydrugrelated neurological problem Seizures Epileptic activity When we do a urine screening then we come to know that he has been taking this drug he notedHe also cautioned against excessive consumption of commercial energy drinks stating they provide no real benefit and are essentially marketed productsHighlighting gaps in Indias public health response to neurological disorders Dr Mukherji stressed the need for urgent policylevel interventionsWe need more awareness of neurological conditions Deep in the hinterlands epilepsy is still being treated by jharphuk whereas it is easily treatable Stroke management is done by putting turmeric in the villages That has to stop he saidHe called for broader and more affordable health insurance coverage as well as better emergency medical systemsBecause treatment is expensive there has to be cheaper more meaningful health insurance for individuals We dont have adequate medical evacuation systems These are policy decisions we have to takecorrect evacuation for the critically ill deeper penetration of medical insurance and awareness These three things will make a lot of difference he saidDr Mukherji reiterated that the growing normalisation of recreational drug use poses one of the most serious contemporary health threats to Indias youth stressing that early intervention awareness and strong policy support are critical to reversing the trend