Kilifi County youth leader Mr. Caleb Otieno has set out for a mission to continue pushing for the legalization of bhang.
Mr. Otieno wants Members of the National Assembly to introduce a bill in Parliament that will categorize bhang as an agricultural cash crop.
“We have been using Methadone (Medical Assisted Therapy, MAT) to treat illicit drug addicts, but it is expensive, and its supply is limited, but we can offer bhang as a substitute since it is not addictive,” he said.
In addition, Otieno reports that a 90-kilogram bag of bhang has a street value of Ksh1.3 million. He further urged religious leaders to carry out more research on cannabis before dismissing it.
“From 1963, the Kenyan government has laid down measures to ensure that there is no issue pertaining to drugs and substance use in Kenya, bhang is a herb and it should be categorized as such and the current government should legalize it through an act of Parliament because it is beneficial commercially,” said Otieno
Nonetheless, the National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada) said in a statement that recreational and commercial trade of bhang is prohibited.
Likewise, Bhang or cannabis sativa, is listed as an illegal drug in the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control Act Section 3 (2) (a) of 1994 and revised in 2022.
However, there have been attempts to have the drug legalized for industrial and commercial use.
Moreover, the drug has acquired a bad reputation over the years because of its use as an intoxicant. Additionally, the focus on its medicinal properties has been lost but proponents argue that its medicinal value exists.
Similarly, just like any other drug, scientists have discovered that, if used wrongly, bhang can cause long term harmful effects on the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system.
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However, with controlled use it offers medicinal value since paste made from the buds and leaves of the Cannabis sativa plant, is typically added to food and drinks, and can protect the human body against pain, muscle spasms, seizures, nausea, and vomiting.
