Bhang smokers increase by 90%; NACADA
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Bhang smokers in Kenya have increase by 90% in the last 5 years according to latest report by NACADA
Bhang smokers in Kenya have increase by 90% in the last 5 years according to latest report by NACADA.
The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has revealed in its latest study report that the use of bhang has more than quadrupled since 2017.
In the last five years, more people have used cannabis than ever before, according to NACADA.
The drug misuse educator credits the numerous myths and misconceptions that portray the drug as low risk and doing less harm than other substances for this substantial surge.
“The number of people currently using cannabis has increased by 90 per cent in the last 5 years,” the NACADA report read in parts.
Of these users, 47.4 per cent of them are addicted to the drug which like tobacco, alcohol and Khat has been linked to depression.
“The risk of depressive disorder among users of cannabis was 2.3 times higher compared to non-users,” the report went on.
Similarly, alcohol users are at a 2.3 per cent higher risk of suffering from depression compared to non-users.
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The same applies to tobacco at 2.0 per cent, khat at 1.7 per cent and people who abuse multiple drugs at 2.0 per cent higher risk.
Additionally, NACADA highlighted the high rates of addiction across the board, with alcohol ranking second after cannabis (42.4%), tobacco (38.8%), and khat (22.2%).
Another disconcerting revelation was the tender age at which children got initiated into drug abuse.
Tobacco had the youngest users with the minimum age for its abuse being six years.
This was followed by cannabis(bhang) with a minimum age of 8 years, khat (9 years), prescription drugs (8 years), heroin (18 years) and cocaine (20 years).
NACADA inferred early exposure by parents where impressionable children copy what they see from their parents.
The authority observed that youth aged 25-35 were the most vulnerable to drug and substance abuse.
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