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"id": 384898,
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"content": "The threat of alcohol and drug abuse is far greater than we realise. It pervades through our country’s entire social fabric. This has spread to our schools, institutions, colleges and other institutions of higher learning. This has also spread to other institutions, including security institutions. If you go to the military barracks, you will see evidence at that level. This has spread to our villages and homes. It has spread everywhere and, in fact, it should be recognized as the fastest growing epidemic. This issue of alcohol and drug abuse is significant. In fact, it is a reflection of the degree of decay in our society. We must all, collectively, take the full responsibility and pay the price of its consequences. It is not just enough to blame the victims for lack of self discipline. I feel that we must first appreciate that addiction to alcohol and drugs are a disease like any other that has afflicted mankind. It is, therefore, more important to think about how to assist the victims; those suffering from the disease and more significantly, think about how to prevent the spread of this disease; alcohol and drug abuse. It is important to think about how to control the spread of that menace. We know that families, individuals and women are affected. However, the bulk of those affected are the youth. The youth are the most devastated by this menace. Unfortunately, this also happens to be the age that is most critical to the future development of this nation. Therefore, drug abuse has very deep ramifications on the future of this country. It is a subject that we, as a nation, should think seriously about. The youth are exposed and, therefore, become more vulnerable than other categories of the population. Owing to abuse of alcohol and drugs, the youth drop out of schools. They go out, but cannot engage in any meaningful activity. Therefore, they become more exposed. They are then tempted to get involved into committing crime so as to sustain their activities. They engage in theft, house breaking and prostitution to sustain the activities they are used to. At that point, they degenerate to become a security threat. Indeed, they become a liability to the society as a whole. The fight against this menace cannot be left to NACADA, or even to the national Government. All the citizens of this country and the people of good will must wake up to this reality because our nationhood is under serious threat. Let us all join hands to fight this menace. I call upon all the county governments, churches, schools, all other institutions of higher learning, all the communities of this Republic, the society as a whole and friends of Kenya, to join hands in order to fight this menace. We must agree and put in place a comprehensive strategy to control the menace and minimize the impact created by alcohol and drug abuse. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we must establish both male and female rehabilitation centres in every county. This is because the few that we have been able to establish are largely male centres. We must also realize that women are affected. We must also stop the entry of supplies of drugs to Kenya. Sen. (Dr.) Machage has rightly pointed that Mombasa Port has become notorious as an entry point for drugs of all kinds from all over the world. In particular, there is a substance called heroin which is very dangerous. We must also stop entry of any similar substances at all our entry points around the country. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, peddlers of drugs must get stiffer penalties and not the kinds of penalties which exist. We must all be committed to this cause. Otherwise, we will all get consumed and destroyed. We will have no nation to be proud of. The 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."
}