The Ministry of Health is banking on the prompt amendment of a draft bill in Parliament that will grant them the authority to enforce laws against narcotic drugs introduced into the market through innovative methods.
Head of Drug and Substance Abuse Control Dr Andrew Toro said the amendments will align with innovative strategies of drugs being introduced into the market, such as novel tobacco products disguised as therapeutic items if made.
Dr Toro said the innovative strategies had increased the circulation of narcotic drugs posing a significant risk to public health, particularly for children.
Speaking in Machakos during a three-day workshop on drug and substance abuse control, convened by the Ministry of Health through the State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards, Dr Toro stated that amendments to the Alcohol Control Act, the Tobacco Control Act 2007, and the Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances Act will provide a framework to ensure compliance and detect and arrest offenders.
Tobacco Control Board chairperson Naomi Shaban said the government was working tirelessly to establish cessation and rehabilitation centres to offer opportunities for those heavily affected by drug and substance abuse to receive the necessary support.
Shaban said the existing rehabilitation centres are primarily private, making them inaccessible to impoverished youth seeking help. She stated that new cessation centres will be set up in ten hotspot areas, with Machakos, Meru and Bomet being among the key hotspot areas.
"These centers will be crucial in providing information and support for drug addicts seeking to reform, hence addressing significant public health issues," Shaban said.
Shaban said as a government, they were targeting ten counties since drug and substance abuse, once thought to be confined to urban areas, has now seriously affected rural areas as well.
