Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai has revealed that her first experience with cannabis during her time at Oxford University triggered intense and haunting memories of the Taliban attack that almost claimed her life at the age of 15.
In a candid interview with The Guardian, the 28-year-old activist spoke about the incident, which she also describes in her upcoming memoir, Finding My Way. Malala shared that she was encouraged by friends to try smoking from a bong during a casual gathering at Oxford’s Lady Margaret Hall — but what began as an experiment quickly turned into a deeply unsettling experience.
According to Malala, the effects of the drug brought back vivid flashbacks of the 2012 Taliban assassination attempt, when she was shot in the head on her way home from school in Pakistan’s Swat Valley. “I had never felt so close to the attack as I did then,” she recalled, describing how the experience made her relive the sounds of gunfire, the chaos around her, and the struggle for survival that followed.
Malala said that as the hallucinations intensified, she briefly believed she had died and entered another realm. “I thought nothing could scare me — nothing,” she said. “And then I was scared of small things, and that just broke me.”
The traumatic episode left her emotionally shaken. She remembered collapsing in her dormitory, trying to process the overwhelming flood of memories. Over time, she sought professional help and began therapy, which she credits for helping her reclaim her sense of peace and strength.
Malala’s story sheds light on the lingering psychological effects of trauma, even for someone who has spent years advocating courage and resilience. Through therapy and personal growth, she said she eventually found balance again, learning to face her fears rather than suppress them.
Now married to Asser Malik, a cricket executive, Malala continues her global advocacy as Executive Chair of the Malala Fund, promoting education and empowerment for girls around the world. Her candid reflection offers a rare glimpse into the private struggles behind her public strength — and serves as a reminder that healing from trauma is an ongoing journey.