The national anti-drug and substance abuse agency has launched a vigorous five-day campaign in Laikipia to discourage the youth from engaging in alcoholism and drug abuse.
While launching the campaign in Nanyuki, today, Rift Valley Regional Coordinator for the National Agency for the Campaign Against and Drugs Abuse (NACADA), Andrew Githui, noted that the youthful population in Kenya, between the ages of 25 to 35 years, were the most affected by the drug abuse menace.
“We realized that there is this generation from the ages between 25 and 35 especially the working group that is the most affected. This is the age where they have started getting some income and may be they don’t have serious responsibilities hence they have the extra money to spend on leisure,” said Githui.
Mr Githui revealed that a five-day roadshow will traverse various informal settlements in Laikipia including Kanyoni, Likii, Majengo, Kwa Mbuzi, Mia Moja among other areas before heading to Meru county.
Laikipia County anti-drug activist, Boniface Nyamu, pointed out that the campaigns aimed at ensuring that the county attained a drug free status through vigorous public awareness strategies.
“We want the youth who are most potential members of our society and the most affected population by drugs and narcotics abuse to get sensitized towards ensuring the county becomes drug free. It will be a major achievement seeing learners set free from drugs,” said Nyamu.
Meanwhile, according to a 2022 NACADA national survey on the Status of Drugs and Substance Use (DSU) in Kenya, the youth aged 25 to 35 were identified as a vulnerable group in drugs and substance use and dependence.
Further, the survey showed that one in every three males aged 15 – 65 years (3,783,854) and one in every 16 females (949,298) were abusing at least one drug or substance.
By Muturi Mwangi
