Muguka’s Massive Health Implications With Mental Issues Leading

Muguka’s Massive Health Implications With Mental Issues Leading

The raging Muguka ban debate has elicited mixed reactions from Kenyans and politicians from both sides, with a segment of Kenyans in Central Kenya expressing deep dissatisfaction.

Muguka, a khat variant that functions similarly to miraa, has piqued the interest of two opposing factions: consumers primarily from the coastal regions of Mombasa, Kilifi, and Taita Taveta, and producers from the Central counties of Embu and its surrounding areas.

According to reports, the consumption of Muguka has resulted in an increase in the number of youths abusing it and other substances.

The abuse of Muguka has been blamed for the alarming cases of admissions to mental health and rehabilitation centers on the Kenyan coast.

In recent incidents involving the use of Muguka, a local woman was attacked and repeatedly chopped with a machete by his son.

“I know of one woman who was chopped several times by her son. After conducting investigations, we discovered that the boy was using Muguka.”

In what is perceived as a divergent viewpoint, a group of Embu residents took to the streets to express their grievances about the loss they would suffer if a ban on Muguka was implemented.

According to NACADA data for 2022, the majority of North Eastern residents aged 15 to 65 are aware of Muguka and its implications.

This was a spontaneous awareness rate of 54.7%. In contrast, the western region recorded a lower number of residents aware of Muguka and its implications.

Muguka is the second most widely known psychoactive substance in the country, trailing only Miraa.

However, scientific research takes precedence over profits and losses as sources of income.

The country’s perspective on events should be based on the implications of the substance, rather than selfish gains or interests at the expense of someone’s health.

The National Campaign Against Drug Abuse Authority (NACADA) published a report in 2019 titled Supply And Demand Dynamics Of Miraa/Muguka In Selected Production And Consumption Regions of Kenya, which detailed the shared health effects of Khat (Miraa) and Muguka.

Among these effects are a lack of sleep and the ability to maintain alertness for an extended period of time.

Some users, however, argue that certain tasks require a person to be awake, so khat or Muguka comes in handy.

Insomnia may not be a positive indicator of good health and can have an impact on an individual’s overall physical and mental well-being.

Again, the type of alertness produced by the use of khat and Muguka is largely induced and thus may be distorted.

Tuambiane ukweli: muguka ama ketepa(digital) haiwesmek. Hakuna nguvu inakuadisia. Tupeane facts ndio tu save lives @GhettoRadio895 @MtaaniKE @techmtaa @StandardKenya @Tuko_co_ke @RadioCitizenFM @scadkenya @MTAAgency @UNODC_PTRS @tcb_kenya @chipukeezyvini pic.twitter.com/WTmiGMKp0I

— NACADA Kenya (@NACADAKenya) June 17, 2021

According to the report, chewing miraa and Muguka can cause tooth decay and discoloration.

The user’s teeth become yellow or dark in color. Long-term use often results in tooth loss.

These stimulants have also been linked to loss of appetite. If the person begins chewing before eating, it is highly unlikely that he or she will develop an appetite for food once the chewing is completed.

Many users have reported weight loss, which could be due to a loss of appetite. However, weight loss could also be due to a lack of sleep caused by chewing Muguka for long periods of time and thus failing to get enough rest.

According to this report, an emerging perceived fear among users is the reddening of the lips as a result of increased chemical spraying. Some farmers harvest Muguka before the chemical used in spraying loses potency.

Other effects include body rashes and red eyes, as detailed in a section of this report.

“There are two perceived health effects that are associated with muguka. Users of muguka reported body rashes in some cases as well as eyes turning red,” read part of the NACADA report.

Muguka contains the active ingredients cathine and cathinone, both of which are classified as psychotropic substances under several conventions ratified by Kenya.

The United Nations on Drugs and Crime (1971) stated this in a report on the Convention on Psychotropic Substances.

Muguka’s Massive Health Implications With Mental Issues Leading