Anti-drug activists at the Coast have raised the alarm over a new phenomenon in the region.
Polydrug use among the youth has significantly increased, and it is dangerous as it can easily lead to overdose.
Polydrug or polysubstance use refers to the use of more than one drug or type of drug at the same time, or one after another.
It can involve both illicit drugs and legal substances such as alcohol and medications.
According to experts, the mix of the drugs is meant to enhance the desired effects of one of the drugs.
For instance, if one uses heroin they may add methadone to make the heroin achieve a higher level of ‘high’.
Reachout Centre founder Taib Abdulrahman said the use of pure drugs has lesser effects as compared to impure drugs.
Because the pure drugs are not readily available or are less accessible and more expensive, dealers mainly bring impure forms of the drugs such as heroin.
These impure drugs have more withdrawal effects because of the impurities in them.
And for users to not get the withdrawal symptoms, they have to use a lot of the impure drugs.
This means they have to buy more of the drugs, which is expensive and most of them do not have the money.
“So, they opt to use smaller portions but so as to get the desired level of satisfaction, they have to mix,” Abdulrahman said.
On Tuesday, Nacada acting CEO John Muteti said they have obtained drug samples from various dens in Mombasa to be tested at the Government Chemist to establish the kind of drugs used in the region.
There is fear that fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, is now rampant in Mombasa.
Fentanyl is highly potent and mainly used as an analgesic. Its primary clinical utility is pain management for cancer patients and those recovering from painful surgical operations.
It is a prescription drug that is also made and used illegally.
Its overdose can lead to instant death.
On Tuesday, Muteti said a shocking video of drug users walking and talking like zombies, which went viral recently, has jolted authorities.
“People have given various versions of what this substance is. We need to get concrete information so we can give the public the correct information,” he said.
The sampling and analysis will take two weeks, after which a report will be made and published.
Muteti said mixing of drugs could be deadlier.
“That is a serious issue and depending on what drugs are mixed they can bring a lot of damage,” he noted.
He called on the public to use Nacada’s 24-hour toll free line, 1192, to give information about use of or existence of drugs in any particular area.
In Mombasa, according to Abdulrahman, heroin and methadone are the most abused drugs and are in powder, tablets and liquid form.
He said most are prescribed medication, including rohypnol, diazepam, and cozepam, which are sold over the counter but so far there has not been any increase in overdose cases.
“We are trying to engage the users to get more information on what specific drugs are being mixed,” he said.
However, the anti-drugs crusader expressed optimism saying there is an increase in those seeking treatment, especially among women.
The Miritini drug rehabilitation centre is full, he noted.
“This means our advocacy campaigns are bearing fruit,” Abdulrahman said.
Nacada leads a multi-agency team comprising of the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, Government Chemist, CSOs, County Governments, NGAO, among others which has set camp in Mombasa on a fact finding mission.
