It’s a calm and warm Friday afternoon in my college and as I take a walk around, I come across a group of students in two corners. In one corner, the group is kinder having a discussion while the other seems like they are chatting.
Out of curiosity, I approach the group that is chatting because, from a distance, one can feel the conversation is quite interesting and they are kind enough to welcome me.
As time goes I realised the topic of discussion was their experiences with marijuana following the party they had attended months ago.
This conversation gives me a way to talk to two of them and luckily they are willing to share their stories.
I will codename them RWS and RSO.
RWS's (not his real name), descent into addiction began innocently during a visit to his friends on campus. A seemingly ordinary scenario involving cookies spiraled and became worse.
“My name is RS, a third-year student. I started using marijuana at the party we were talking about when you joined us. I saw my friends eating cookies and asked for some, they then gave me a small piece," RWS said.
"I even complained why just a smaller piece and their response was, 'You'll understand later.' Later on, I got high, and the feeling was so good that I sought out the cookies myself the following day. That's how it started."
Marijuana, locally known as bhang or cannabis, has firmly established its roots within the academic environment, ensnaring young minds in its intoxicating allure.
However, what began as experimentation evolved into a full-blown addiction, causing him to neglect his studies and suffer from severe mood swings.
RSO's struggle with addiction began in high school when she started smoking with friends who introduced her to bhang, unexpectedly.
"The sensation was incredible, and soon we were sneaking into the dormitory to smoke frequently. This habit persisted into my university years," she revealed. Her addiction to marijuana led to memory problems and impacted her academic performance, leaving her feeling isolated.
According to Robert Olwenyi, the Regional Manager for Nacada in the South Rift region, several factors contribute to increased drug abuse among university students.
These factors include the availability and affordability of drugs, relationship issues, the cost of living, and the pressure to perform academically.
There are different strains of marijuana available, including Indica, Sativa, and Foreign strains according to RWS and RSO.
RSO described how Indica provided her with a peaceful sleep, helping her forget her problems, while Sativa sparked her creativity, especially during exam periods. Remarkably, RWS even recalled smoking before an exam and achieving an impressive A grade.
The high cost of cookies eventually drove RWS to switch to smoking shash, a more affordable option. However, this transition came with its own set of consequences, as he felt trapped in a cycle of dependence and financial instability.
RWS explained: "I felt like I was having the same feeling every day and wasting a lot of money. To support my habit and make money, I ventured into peddling." He noted that the business thrived among students.
When asked how colleges could help students avoid addiction, Gitau Kimani, a therapist, said that overcoming addiction often requires medical assistance or programs to facilitate drug cessation.
“Sometimes, people find the motivation for recovery when they confront significant consequences, such as legal issues or restricted access to drugs,” Kimani said.
He also noted that rehabilitation services, which could be a perfect solution to addiction, are often too expensive. “It can cost up to 60,000 shillings every month, which is too much for many people.”
Kimani thinks colleges can do more to prevent addiction by educating students about it before it becomes a significant problem.
This approach is more cost-effective than trying to help individuals after they're already addicted. He also urged that colleges should create support groups where students can discuss their problems without fear of judgment.
Kimani also noted that recovering from addiction is a personal journey. “It takes a lot of inner strength and a strong desire to change. Colleges can be effective by encouraging students to seek help when needed and providing the necessary support,” he added.
Nacada on their part believes there is a need for enhanced collaboration between the national and county governments to scale up joint enforcement efforts to control the production, distribution, sale, and consumption of illicit brews
Nacada recommends collaboration with the relevant enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with provisions of the ADCA 2010 especially under-age use and access to alcohol and liquor-selling outlets; control of alcohol-selling outlets near basic institutions of learning and residential areas; and control of alcohol advertisements.
“Positive parenting” and “strengthening families” programs to moderate risks of early exposure to drugs by children and young adolescents are part of the suggestions by Nacada.
There's a need to leverage social media and other online platforms to reach the youth with tailored prevention programs and regular factual messaging to counter myths, misinformation, and misconceptions related to alcohol, drugs, and substances of abuse.
Nacada also proposes that Security committees at national, regional, and county levels coordinate sustainable and effective approaches to control the trafficking of narcotic drugs.
Nacada advocates for the collaboration with the Ministry of Education to upscale prevention programs and the roll-out of a tailored life skills program aimed at sustaining abstinence or delaying initiation to drugs and substance use by children and students in primary and secondary schools in Kenya
As part of its concerted effort to curb drug abuse, Nacada proposed amendments to the ADCA 2010 and the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, 1994 to address the emerging supply suppression challenges including regulation of online sale and marketing of alcoholic drinks, drugs, and other substances of abuse.