The recent launch of the Nacada drug survey ought to make all of us take a step back and ask the question- where did we miss the mark?
The data from the survey sent a chilling message that we are slowly and surely losing the war against drug abuse.
It showed that Western Kenya has overtaken the Coast region in drug abuse.
The survey was conducted between September and December last year. Residents blamed the rise in drug abuse in the region on the porous border points of Busia and Bungoma counties.
The National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse survey indicated that 23.8 per cent of the population in Western is hooked on drugs and illicit brews such as chang’aa.
At the Coast, the data showed that 13.9 per cent of the population is hooked, while Central Kenya is third with 11.4 per cent of its population abusing various types of drugs.
According to Nacada, in the last five years, an increase in the uptake of illegal drugs, especially bhang or marijuana, also scientifically known as cannabis sativa, was witnessed.
The Nacada results indicated that the prevalence of cannabis use almost doubled over the last five years. The survey revealed that the increase in the use of cannabis, especially among the youth, was attributed to the low perception of harm due to myths, misinformation, and misconceptions.
Such disturbing figures show that we need to pull up our socks in fighting drug abuse. As can be seen from the silent rise in Western Kenya, the problem comes silently, like a thief in the night.
Just like Interior PS Raymond Omollo said when he received the Nacada survey, we need to think out of the box for us to effectively tackle this menace.
Dr Omollo suggested that we should start treating drug abuse and addiction as a collective public health crisis, rather than a criminal justice issue that focuses on manufacturers, distributors and traffickers of drugs.
According to the PS, the overemphasis on the criminal element of the menace has not helped in stopping the spread of abuse.
This should start with educational institutions having a review of how they handle drug abuse issues.
We should focus more on dealing with the foundation of the problem, like finding out the issues that drive the increased use instead of focusing too much on criminalising it. Whereas it is critical to deal with the criminal aspects of drug abuse, we need to start thinking out of the box.
The first step is in developing strong partnerships between parents and educational institutions. By ensuring that there is no lapse in communication between the two main pillars in the life of students, we can tackle the drug abuse menace at the root.
According to various surveys, teenagers are more vulnerable to drug abuse in areas that have weak links between educational institutions and parents and guardians.
We should therefore ensure that all educational institutions have mandatory Parents Teachers Association master plans in dealing with drug abuse.
Dean of Students, East Africa School of Aviation. [email protected]
