Why 'blunting' is popular on campus

Marijuana. This is one very popular drug on campus. There are even terms used to describe the use of it and such words include 'blunting', 'weeding', 'stoning' to name just a few.

'Rolling a blunt' is one term you'll not miss to hear while on campus. While the university is meant to be fun, smoking bhang is one activity that seems to be on top of the 'fun' list.

Curiosity is a contributing factor that leads to the use of marijuana, mostly referred to as 'Mary Jane'.

"In high school, I never engaged in any form of drug use. I attended this party while on campus and I decided to smoke.

I felt a weird sort of high and it's like I was transported to another dimension," says Mark*(not his real name), a student at a local university.

With unchecked freedom, students can get involved in 'exploring'. This means trying out what they haven't done before and smoking might be a novel activity to others.

It's always the desire to quench questions such as "what feeling does one get after hitting a blunt? What happens after several puffs?"

"If you want a roll right now, you can get it," says another student who also declined to be mentioned.

Accessibility of the drug is also one major player in making Mary Jane popular on campus.

It is difficult to know how there is always an endless supply of the drug and that it can be availed in a time of "need".

When a commodity is plenty in supply, that means the users are enough to sustain it and so the popularity of such will continue soaring.

Social media has also lead to the 'glamorisation' of the drug. Nowadays you will see pictures on Instagram and Facebook of young campus students posing while smoking.

At times the memes that have become an integral part of social media, are related to 'blunting' and their humorous edge sees to it that they are shared massively.

This plays into the mind of young ones who might get encouraged to smoke. Who wouldn't want to keep up with what the world is up to?

It is easy to assume that it is only the men who are involved in such but there are ladies who also participate.

With the act seemingly associated with the art of being cool, it is no wonder most young people are doing it.

On campus, most upwardly mobile and urban students tend to smoke and this may prompt others to do the same in order to appear sophisticated.

Young people seek a sense of belonging and so one of the motives for smoking is just that, to be accepted.

Back in high school, there were so many rules that regulated some behaviors.

Campus affords youngsters the luxuries of fewer regulations which means anyone can loose their inhibitions if they choose to without any scolding from parents or older guardians.

Health suffers the most when we abuse drugs. The signs might only appear later in life and this may have youngsters believing that since there are no physical manifestations of the effects, they're safe.

Smokers and those willing to give it a try are usually obstinate on their stand and it becomes hard to convince them otherwise.

Perhaps there are studies to suggest that smoking bhang is not as risky as 'old' people try to make it.

The question is, why then, is everyone, not a smoker? And if it is not as consequential as it is made out, why are there addicts struggling with smoking?

Our body is our responsibility. Advice and warnings only serve to push us in the right direction but it is our choice to make on what to do with ourselves.

Young people, in pursuit of happiness and youthful glory, should also remember that our bodies will serve when we are older and taking care of it is not such a terrible idea.