Hashish not scientifically proven to treat Covid-19: Experts

KABUL (Pajhwok): A number of social media users believe hashish can treat Covid-19. Infection, but health experts reject this claim and say hashish is not beneficial or scientifically proven to treat the virus.

“Hashish is one of the drugs obtained from cannabis or hemp, it has intoxicated nature, hashish is the drug that causes the most deaths and many people think it is not addictive.”

According to health experts, the first smock of hashish gives a person false happiness and in case of repeated use, it develops a strong connection that forces the user to consume the drug as he/she can do nothing without hashish consumption.

Rumors:

A twitter account named “Kabul Daily News” wrote that Canadian doctors say the cannabis plant could prevent the spread of coronavirus.

“They have come to this conclusion after research and experimental use of hashish to treat intestinal infections and cancer,” the twitter post said.

MukhtarWafaee, another twitter user, post an article titled “The Doctor of Kandahar is treating Covid-19 patients with hashish and tobacco!”

Meanwhile, Deutsche Welle also published in Dari site “Can hashish prevent coronavirus infection”.

According to the report of DW, Canadian doctors thought that the cannabis plant or hashish might prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Bashir Ahmad Qasani, an Afghan journalist, also posted the Dari text of DW report on his Facebook page, which drew a strong response from Facebook users, but a number of other social media users supported his post.

Besides social media users, some others also find the use of hashish as useful in treating coronavirus.

Fact checking:

Medical experts say that the use of hashish is not proven to be effective in the treatment of Covid-19.

HashmatullahFaizi, ICU professional at the Afghan-Japan Hospital, said like opium hashish was also among the opioid substance which reduces pain.

He said the use of hashish and opium temporarily relieved pain, adding the Covid-19 patients who had severe pain so some people used them to relief pain.

Faizi called the use of opium substance as addictive; saying its usage was unreasonable because there were some painkiller medicines that were not addictive.

Referring to Hakim Alokozai’s drop, health experts said: “his drop was also made from opium to relief pain, but now there are some people who are addictive to this drop, they have become addicted and still use it.”

Faizi advised that wearing masks, following social distancing and washing hands regularly were the only ways to prevent coronavirus infection.

Baz Mohammad Sherzad, another health expert, told Pajhwok that the use of hashish was not scientifically approved to treat coronavirus.

He called the use of hashish as harmful to human beings, especial to the Covid-19 patients, and said such narcotics made people addicted and sick.

Referring to the reports that hashish use prevents Covid-19 infection, he said the World Health Organization (WHO) and experts were concerned that the release of such research would raise misconception among public about such substance.

According to health experts, WHO says a study has not yet been evaluated by other researchers around the globe so it remains incomplete.

Experts say hashish, like tobacco, contained ammonia and hydrogen cyanide in its composition along with toxic chemicals such as agave and it causes damage to the respiratory system, lungs, persistent cough and phlegm.

On the other hand, religious scholar Mufti Shams-ur-RehmanFrutan told Pajhwok that the use of hashish and opium for the treatment of corona was not only ineffective, but also addictive and weakening and Islam calls such treatment inappropriate.

He added: “While specialist doctors have not commented that opium and hashish are effective, they cannot be used and even if they call them effective, there is still an alternative and one should take advantage of halal alternatives.”

He explained: “The Prophet (PBUH) says that Allah (swt) has not placed the treatment of my ummah in harmful and forbidden things.”

GhulamDastagirNazari, a spokesman for MoPH, told Pajhwok the use of drugs, especially hashish, to prevent coronavirus had no scientific basis. He said the rumors circulating about hashish in social media had no scientific basis.

Outcome: Social media users recommend hashish for the treatment of Covid-19. But health experts say it has not been a scientifically proven treatment of the virus.

Verdict: Use of hashish to treat the coronavirus has no scientific or medical basis.

Azizullah Hamdard

“This Investigative Report was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Pajhwok and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.”

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