Octopizzo has maintained that legalising marijuana in Kenya will do more good than harm for users of the outlawed plant.
According to Octo, legalisation is vital in that it will stop young users from abusing it.
“This is not about me, but it is a serious thing and it has even been tabled in parliament,” says Octopizzo.
The rapper states that weed should be easily accessible to the public the way cigarettes are.
“Marijuana users will freely smoke it anywhere because whether it’s legalised or not, our kids are using it but they are abusing it. People are using it badly and that is why it is affecting them while others have made businesses out of it,” he said.
“What I am saying is if it is already being used, why don’t we just legalize it but then create ways that it can be managed how people use it. We know that marijuana is sold in chemists in some counties but it’s access us managed. That is why some people will never shy away from using it.”
Octopizzo adds that “people are in denial but they are shy to talk about. That is one of the things Kenyans are afraid to talk about. It is like talking about unsafe sex where we end up getting under 18 children getting kids”.
Octo further recounts a day he met eight-year-old kids that are prostitutes in Kisii county during the day.
“Nobody is talking about that, I feel so disturbed because I have a 10-year-old kid. There are so many important things that people need to talk about in this country especially that are affecting young people, Mental health issues are there but you will hear people blaming this on weed,” he says.
“When we as artiste come out to talk about it, most assume saying we are just rappers. I try to make a difference with my foundation by meeting these people and by talking to them because at times we reach a point we even feel that our leaders don’t even help and we cannot just sit and wait them do everything.”
