The government has launched a fresh crackdown on drug abuse in universities, targeting a disturbing trend where cannabis is being discreetly infused into everyday snacks and sold to students on campus.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, speaking at the Jukwaa la Usalama security forum in Kiambu, revealed that authorities have flagged the use of cannabis-laced bread, mandazis, cookies, and kangumu, ordinary-looking snacks that are being used to discreetly distribute drugs among students.
“Edible cannabis is now prevalent around our universities,” Murkomen said. “Students are being targeted through food items disguised as harmless snacks, yet they are laced with cannabis sativa.”
The revelation comes months after the National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) raised alarm over escalating drug use in institutions of higher learning.
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A nationwide survey conducted in February across 17 universities and involving over 15,000 students found that 70 percent of those arrested for drug-related offenses were students. Cannabis, synthetic drugs, and alcohol were the most commonly abused substances.
In response, Murkomen announced that sub-county security committees will now be required to include university and college leaders in their regular meetings. “The dean of students, student leadership, local church leaders, and the business community must all be invited to participate,” he said, emphasizing the need for a multi-stakeholder approach to campus safety.
The Ministry of Interior is urging students to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities. The government maintains that protecting the wellbeing of learners is essential to safeguarding the country’s future workforce.
By Masaki Enock
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