A comparison of chamba (marijuana) abusers and general psychiatric admissions in Malawi

Abstract

The study aimed to provide the first general description of chamba-related admissions to Zomba Mental Hospital, the major psychiatric facility in Malawi, and to analyse the distinctiveness of this patient group from other admissions. A questionnaire was verbally administered to 50 chamba abusers and 50 other patients matched by gender, age, and admission date. The typical chamba abusing patient is: 27, male, a subsistence farmer, takes the drug because it is the cheapest form of intoxication, reports ‘seeing things clearly’ (immediate effect), and general apathy (long-term); and compared to other patients is more likely to originate from a chamba-growing area, less likely to have been raised by his natural parents, and has had more schooling.