Malala Opens Up About Reliving Taliban Terror After Smoking Weed, Faces Flak From Netizens

An excerpt from education rights activist Malala Yousafzai’s upcoming memoir, Finding My Way, has sparked widespread criticism on social media.

Scheduled for release on October 21, the book details an experience in which Malala smoked a bong at Oxford University, a moment she says brought back the trauma of being shot by the Taliban.

For context, Malala first gained international attention at the age of 15 for her activism and defiance of oppressive societal norms. She survived a targeted attack by the Taliban in October 2012, when a gunman shot her on her school bus.

Following her recovery, she continued her education and eventually studied at Oxford University.

In her memoir, the 28-year-old Nobel laureate recalls how she encountered a glass apparatus—what she describes as a “clear glass container with a smaller tube at the base”—at a gathering with friends.

Although she had tried cannabis in the past, this was her first time experiencing a high. She described the act of passing the joint as feeling “cool and grown-up.”

Her friend Anisa persuaded her to try a bong, a stronger and more intense method of smoking cannabis.

Malala describes losing track of time, experiencing extreme physical sensations, and feeling mentally trapped.

She compares the sensation to her trauma from the school bus attack: “From the outside, I looked to be in a deep sleep. But, inside, my mind was awake, and it played a slideshow of recent events: My school bus. A man with a gun. Blood everywhere.”

She recounts being unable to walk, struggling to breathe, and feeling dizzy throughout the night.

Anisa tells Malala that they shouldn't go into the hospital as doctors would likely carry out tests and the drug 'stays in your blood'.

Despite Anisa and another friend staying with her, Malala recalls fearing sleep, believing that closing her eyes would trap her in an “endless loop of terror.”

She writes hauntingly: “It stays in your blood. It stays in your blood. It stays in your blood.”

Published by The Guardian, the excerpt drew immediate criticism.

Many social media users argued that the story diverges from Malala’s established “saintly” narrative and questioned why she shared such a personal experience publicly.

One X user suggested the memoir was part of a brand repositioning effort, writing: “Moral capital decays fast in Western media cycles. Once the Nobel glow faded and the Taliban story grew old, her PR needed to repackage her as relatable, modern, ‘flawed but brave.’”

Comparisons were also drawn to Greta Thunberg, who faced global attention for participating in a humanitarian mission to Gaza in 2025.

However, the vessel she was travelling on was intercepted by the Israeli military approximately 70 nautical miles off the Gaza coast. Over 450 activists from various countries were detained.

The Swedish climate activist, along with 171 others, was deported to Greece and Slovakia after several days in custody.

Speaking to the media, the 22-year-old revealed that she was tortured in Israeli detention centre. However, she maintained that she did not want Greta to be the headlines. “The story is Gaza,” she added.

Thunberg’s mature focus on the crisis, rather than herself, highlighted how public figures are scrutinized when sharing personal experiences.

The flak directed at Malala stems from several factors: her deviation from the carefully curated public image of the courageous, flawless activist; the explicit depiction of drug use; and the blending of personal vulnerability with her well-known narrative of survival and bravery.

Malala’s memoir excerpt illustrates the complex pressures faced by public figures. Her honesty offers insight into the long-term effects of trauma.

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Excerpt from Malala Yousafzai’s upcoming memoir Finding My Way sparks criticism after she recounts a traumatic experience and smoking cannabis at Oxford University