Health

Dial-a-Spliff: Medical Marijuana Delivered to Quarantine Hospital

by Jordan Yerman | February 13, 2008 at 07:49 am

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While the benefits of medical marijuana are hotly debated, one thing can be agreed upon: smoking is contraindicated for tuberculosis patients. However, that has not stopped some resourceful patients at a South African TB hospital from dialing up some dagga, nor some enterprising dealers from smuggling weed into the quarantied facility.

The management of Port Elizabeth's Jose Pearson Tuberculosis (TB) Hospital has taken steps to crack down on dagga smoking by patients with drug-resistant strains of TB.

Provincial health department spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said on Wednesday that some patients with extensively or multidrug-resistant TB being held in isolation have been using their cellphones to order the drug. Suppliers would then toss packets to them over the hospital fence.

The hospital management has already met police on the issue, and a meeting with patients will follow.

"We will be telling the patients that if they continue taking the substance, it will be extremely dangerous for their health," Kupelo said.

He said smoking is a cause of TB, and the department discourages the habit.

"We also want to appeal to those who supply them with this kind of thing [dagga] to stop it," he said.