EVALUATION OF CARBOXYHAEMOGLOBIN, PROTHROMBIN TIME AND L ACTIVATED PARTIAL THROMBOPLASTIN TIME TEST ON MARIJUANA SMOKERS IN NNEWI METROPOLIS

There appear to be an increase in the use of marijuana by young able-bodied Nigerians, cutting across sex divisions. Reasons proffered include frustrations, on account of current and consistent difficult economic situation in the country. This study was conducted to evaluate the CARBOXYHEMOGLOBIN, prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time of marijuana smokers in Nnewi Anambra state. 73 age matched male subjects consisting of 23 smokers (test group) and 50 non-smokers (control group) was used for the study. The study was conducted between January – June 2023. Personal data such as age, average quantity of marijuana smoked daily and duration of smoking was acquired orally. 6ml of blood was collected from the subjects, 4ml was dispensed into EDTA bottle for full blood count using Mythic 22 hematology autoanalyzer while 2ml was dispensed into tri-sodium citrate bottle for prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time using (Spectrum Recoplastin and SP-Unicelin)Thus, marijuana smoking can produce a significant alteration in haematological parameters of smokers especially in Hb and PT. Prolonged PT could imply derangement in extrinsic coagulation pathway. This implies that the subjects could come down with bleeding.