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"id": 384893,
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"content": "The situation in Kenya is a major problem because there is easy accessibility to drugs. Kenya is quoted as being the conduit point through which drugs are, not only transported through Nairobi, but some are disembarked here to North America, South America, the eastern world and all destinations in the world. In Kenya, Nairobi, the coast and north eastern parts of the country are some of the areas that are seen to be foresight areas to be looked at in detail as young adults within that very active age of 15 to 25 years has been mauled down by the drug menace. We do not have enough legislation to control the menace. We have the Dangerous Drugs Act, Cap 245 which was under the Ministry of Health that came before the creation of NACADA, the Kenya National Drug Policy of the Ministry of Health of 1994 which recommended amendment of Cap 245, the Tobacco Control Act of 2007 and the Alcohol Control Act of 2010, otherwise referred to as the “Mututho Law”. This Act actually seeks to legalize chang’aa by repealing the Chang’aa Prohibition Act. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the situation is so appalling that if you look at the population of Kenyans in total, you find that nearly 5.4 per cent of Kenyans are addicted to narcotics; hashish, 0.3 per cent. Coast and north eastern areas lead in cocaine at 0.6 per cent. The trend is increasing in eastern, Rift Valley and Nairobi. Heroine is at 0.4 per cent of our total population. The coast region leads, followed by Nairobi and Nyanza. Inhalants which are so much used by our youths here, are at 0.7 per cent. Prescription drugs; 0.7 per cent populations addicted to these drugs. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, having 5 per cent of our population being addicted to alcohol alone is an enormous problem. About 4.5 per cent of our population is addicted to tobacco. We are looking at a population of 42 million people. The people who take miraa stand at 1.5 per cent. Those who take bhang stand at 0.4 per cent. The trends are not very encouraging. From the ages 15 to 65, nearly 48.3 per cent of Kenyans have tasted alcohol at one time of their lives. Of the 10 to 14 year olds, unfortunately, about 8 per cent of them have already tasted alcohol and 21.7 per cent of Kenyans at one time have tasted tobacco. I have not considered the passive smokers. You are forced to smoke tobacco because your neighbour is smoking it. Unfortunately so, 4.2 per cent of these people are the 10 to 14 year olds. Khat is chewed by 11.3 per cent of Kenyans, hashish, 0.3 per cent of Kenyans; this has increased to 0.6 per cent in the last one year. Heroine is at 0.4 per cent. We also have cocaine where about 0.2 per cent of Kenyans are addicted to it. I tried to look at the data, but found that it was not very comprehensive. The statistics available are not also very comprehensive. We have a lot of statistical problems. However, the information I gather is very worrying. You will allow me to use the provinces as they were since this was the only way to gather information. Nairobi leads in alcohol use by 36.1 per cent of the targeted population. Western Province is second at 35.7 per cent, followed by Rift Valley, Eastern, Coast, Central and Nyanza provinces. North Eastern is the least at 10.8 per cent. The records we have show that in the consumption of changa’a, Western Province leads with 20.3 per cent of all the addicts. The Rift Valley Province follows with 13.8 per cent, followed by Nyanza, Nairobi, Coast, Eastern and Central at 11.2 per cent. North Eastern Province is nearly zero per cent. This is the same with traditional liquor. Western Province leads with 19.2 The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}