Campus Drug Crisis: NACADA Warns Of Rising Abuse In Kenya’s Universities
Kenya’s universities are facing a growing drug abuse crisis, with a new NACADA study revealing that one in five students has used an illicit substance in the past year. The survey, Status of Drugs and Substance Abuse Among Varsity Students in Kenya, 2024, covered more than 15,000 students across 18 institutions and found a prevalence rate of 18.6 percent. Alarmingly, about 8.5 percent of the student population may require rehabilitation services.
Alcohol remains the most accessible substance, with 87.3 percent availability, followed by cigarettes at 64.4 percent and shisha at 41.2 percent. Cannabis is the most abused narcotic, with 20.1 percent of respondents admitting use. The report highlights that students most at risk include those in their third year and above, off-campus residents, self-sponsored learners, and those in private universities. It also notes troubling social dynamics, including lecturers inviting students to events where alcohol is served, disproportionately affecting young female students.
Beyond campuses, the coast region continues to record the nation’s highest drug-abuse rates, with Mombasa among 10 hotspot counties. Cannabis prevalence stands at 6.3 percent in the region compared to 1.9 percent in Nairobi.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has proposed deploying intelligence officers to monitor campuses, while the Ministry of Health plans to integrate addiction treatment into Universal Health Coverage and enforce restrictions on alcohol outlets near schools. NACADA officials warn that drug abuse is no longer a campus issue but a national crisis, urging collective action from parents, educators, policymakers, and students.
By Agnes Otieno, Laikipia University
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