The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has announced plans to conduct regional engagements to strengthen partnerships with universities and other stakeholders in response to a recent report highlighting rising drug use among students.
NACADA Chief Executive Officer Anthony Omerikwa said the forums will take place across all regions, grouped according to the former provinces, to ensure inclusivity and effective participation.
“The authority will conduct a series of regional engagements to bring together all stakeholders in the university education sector,” Omerikwa stated.
The sessions will bring together university administrators, students, faculty, government agencies, and other key players to develop sustainable solutions to drug abuse in higher learning institutions.
Omerikwa emphasized the importance of equipping students with life skills and knowledge to resist peer pressure, saying prevention remains the most effective tool in addressing substance abuse.
“NACADA believes that by empowering students and creating awareness, we can significantly reduce the demand for drugs and build a resilient generation,” he said.
The initiative aligns with NACADA’s broader mandate to create a drug-free society and reflects its commitment to tackling substance abuse at all levels. The forums will also serve as a platform for mobilizing resources and sharing best practices to help universities implement effective drug control programs.
Alarming Report on Drug Use in Universities
The move follows a recently released NACADA report that paints a worrying picture of drug use among university students. The study, titled Status of Drugs and Substance Use Among University Students in Kenya, revealed that one in every two students has used drugs or other substances at some point in their lives.
Alcohol emerged as the most commonly used substance, with a prevalence rate of 40.5%, followed by cigarettes (13.4%) and shisha (10.9%). The report also highlighted the easy availability of alcohol, with 87.3% of students reporting that they can access it without difficulty.
Other widely available substances include cigarettes (64.4%), shisha (41.2%), vape or e-cigarettes (31.0%), nicotine pouches (30.7%), kuber (23.0%), and snuff or chewed tobacco (22.1%).
Among narcotic drugs, smoked cannabis is the most accessible (61.7%), followed by cannabis edibles (47.6%), cocaine (15.1%), and heroin (14.3%). The report also highlights a growing trend in cannabis-infused edibles, such as weed cookies, mabuyu, lollipops, and juices.
The study found that most students obtain drugs from friends (66.4%), followed by canteens, bars, or premises near universities (59.3%). Other sources include fellow students (56.0%), online purchases through websites and social media (39.4%), and vendors operating within university premises (28.0%). Alarmingly, 11.4% of students admitted to getting drugs from non-teaching staff, while 7.0% cited lecturers or teaching staff as suppliers.
The report also noted that some students are directly involved in the supply and sale of drugs, with many using online platforms to distribute substances within university environments.
Universities have implemented various strategies to address drug abuse, including awareness campaigns, peer counseling, enforcement of drug-free policies, sensitization programs, sobriety clubs, referrals to rehabilitation centers, and random drug checks.
Students caught in possession of drugs face different disciplinary actions, such as counseling, rehabilitation referrals, warnings, suspensions, parental involvement, expulsions, or even arrests.
While alcohol, tobacco, khat, and cannabis remain the most commonly used substances, the report warns of an increasing presence of new psychoactive substances in universities. These include methamphetamine, prescription drugs, codeine syrup, ecstasy, LSD, ketamine, and gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB).
Additionally, the study highlights the rising use of novel tobacco products, with one in 17 students using vape or e-cigarettes, one in 24 using nicotine pouches, and one in 22 using shisha—despite its ban in Kenya.
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