NAIROBI Kenya, May 12 -Western region has the highest prevalence of current use of at least one drug or substance of abuse, followed by Eastern and Nairobi.
According to the National Survey on the status of drugs and substance use in Kenya released on Friday May 12, Western also had the highest prevalence of current use of alcohol (23.8 percent) followed by Coast at 13.9 percent and Central at 12.8 percent.
The data shows that the average age category of initiation of tobacco, alcohol, khat, cannabis, prescription drugs, cocaine and heroin was 16 to 20 years.
However, the minimum age of initiation of tobacco was 6 years, alcohol 7 years, cannabis 8 years, Khat (9years), Prescription drugs (8years), heroin (18 years) and cocaine 20 years.
Internal Security Principal Secretary Dr Raymond Omollo while launching the report said the situation was serious and the government had launched a crackdown on illicit brews.
Since January 2023, officials have arrested over 3,000 people, closed 5,000 unlicensed premises, and confiscated over 2 million litres of illicit alcohol.
Dr Omollo said this was part of the government’s sustained efforts to crack the whip, on those selling illicit brew, and advancing abuse of drugs in the country.
The survey was conducted in selected clusters spread across the 47 counties.
On consumption of alcohol Western has the highest cases of chang’aa and traditional brew consumption while Central region leads in the use of potable spirits (4.1percent) followed by Coast (3.2 percent) and Rift Valley (3.1percent).
The high prevalence of alcohol consumption was attributed to the increasing demand for cheaper and readily available alcoholic products especially chang’aa, traditional brews, and potable spirits.
The survey further revealed that Central region had the highest prevalence of current use of tobacco at 11.9 percent followed by Coast (10.8percent) and Eastern (10.7percent).
NACADA CEO Victor Okioma attributed the trend to the legalisation and commercialisation of traditional brews. He called for enhanced collaboration between the national and county governments to scale up joint enforcement efforts to control the production, distribution, sale, and consumption of illicit brews.
Alcohol continues to be the most widely used substance of abuse in Kenya followed by tobacco, khat and cannabis respectively.
NACADA has also recommended that the county governments review the licensing regime and incorporate public participation to regulate the increased proliferation of liquor-selling outlets in the counties.
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