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Tanzania Ranks World Third Biggest Cannabis User
Xinhua | 11/06/2006

DAR ES SALAAM, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- A Tanzanian anti-narcotics official has said that his country was ranked world third biggest user of cannabis sativa, reported a local English newspaper on Monday.

The Citizen quoted the unidentified official from the Tanzania National Anti-Drug Commission as saying that Tanzania had been ranked by the international anti-narcotic watchdog as the third biggest user of cannabis following Mexico and the United States.

The newspaper said in 2003, 73,222 kilograms of cannabis plants were impounded in the country whereas the volume increased to 964,070 kilograms in 2004 and 150,450 kilograms in 2005.

Police statistics showed that some 800 acres of cannabis plantshad been destroyed late last month in north of the country alone.

The cannabis plantation was found at a village identified as Losinoni in the Arumeru District.

Drug cultivation at the village has been going on for the past 20 years and the cannabis is expected to be exported to neighboring Kenya.

Plantation of cannabis has been a lucrative trade in northern Tanzania, where the plant is described as "green gold" and its exportation is reportedly ranked third after the mining of gem stone tanzanite and tourism.

Cannabis, which is also called bhang in Tanzania, contains chemical "nasties" like tobacco. It can make people feel chilled-out and happy, but hardcore smokers can get anxious and suspicious.

The cannabis can cause lung disease and cancer with long-term or heavy use. It affects coordination of the human body, makes asthma worse and increases blood pressure and is therefore harmful to those with heart problems.