Nearly one million Kenyans use cannabis, the national authority for campaign against alcohol and drug abuse (NACADA) has warned, with bhang use rising 90 per cent in the four years to 2024.
The agency estimates about 1 in every 53 Kenyans uses the drug roughly one student in an average classroom.
That figure has pushed NACADA to call on parents, schools, community leaders and government agencies to strengthen prevention efforts.
The warning follows a global study of more than 463,000 adolescents that found teens who use cannabis are about twice as likely to develop psychotic and bipolar disorders later in life. Researchers said use often came about two years before diagnosis.
Health experts note adolescence is a vulnerable time as the brain is still developing. In Kenya, NACADA says most young people first experiment with illicit substances between ages 13 and 15.
Peer pressure, idle time and easy access are key factors.“Talk to your children early. Ask questions. Listen,” NACADA urged, adding that stigma will not help.The High Court has also upheld the ban on cannabis for religious use, reaffirming it as a controlled substance.
With the new school term ahead, NACADA plans awareness drives in high-burden counties, working with teachers, chiefs and health workers to reach families before harm sets in.
