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Puff-puff pass: Why Kenyan Varsity students cannot have enough of Marijuana

24/07/2019
Njeri Wambui
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Despite people using it, in Kenya marijuana smoking is illegal and would land one in jail should you be arrested using. But University students in Kenya love it despite the widespread notion that it is an undesirable substance. The most shocking thing is a lot of them cannot function without smoking weed.
On past research, among the highest population of marijuana users in Kenya are the youth. Maybe the blame could be pointed out to the rampant hip-hop videos which show smoking and vaping. Roughly half of popular hip-hop music videos feature smoking and marijuana use, with displays of tobacco products and drugs.
Though at a young age children are often told some crazy stories about weed by their parents, some seem to fall on deaf ears when they get to tertiary institutions. The’Marijuana rules’ are defied and the youth make up their minds to taste the grass ad face the dire consequences.
One vocal David Ndii was at the forefront of its legalization. For some time, Ndii was of the opinion that weed was legalized in Kenya.

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s son Raila Junior, began a campaign to have bhang smoking legalized in Kenya. He wanted the ban lifted because he was convinced, the banned drug had many other benefits, such as improving a user’s appetite, which he said was vital for persons living with HIV-AIDS and are undergoing treatment.

Below are a few reasons why the youth in Kenya smoke marijuana:

Curiosity

Since the opportunity to smoke marijuana presents itself mostly during the campus days, more varsity students in Keya seize the period to try out some weed. They want to satisfy a curiosity of what weed is really made up of and what it can do to them since there’s a fuss all over against using it.

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This is the point youth get involved in the testing boundaries, exploring their true selves amidst the various changes that come their way. On a lighter note, it’s best if we understood that it’s a time of raging hormones and other changes which can be confusing and difficult to deal with.

Stress Reliever

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We all know how the school environment can be sometimes, so varsity students result in marijuana to relieve themselves of stress, anxiety, anger, pain or any other personal related issues. Weed is used by many students as a way of coping with certain pressures in their campus lives, could be exams, financial difficulties or even relationships. Marijuana is also used to relieve them from boredom, frustration basically more as a means of escapism.

Rebellion

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Kenyan varsity students are well known for their rebellion against constituted authorities. The mere fact that parents, lecturers and people in authority are against the act, it becomes even more appealing to them. On worst cases, some even go for harder illegal drugs than marijuana.

Most students take pride in smoking weed because they convince themselves that hances of getting caught are very slim. They have it in their minds that weed makes them tough and hardened enough that when they indulge in it some people will be afraid of them.

Upon a debate on whether weed should be legalized in Kenya, below were some reactions:

So, should weed be legalized in Kenya? Tell us what you think in the comment section.

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