Alcohol is the most abused drug in Kenya - NACADA

The national survey on the “Status of Drugs and Substance Use (DSU) in Kenya, 2022” released on Monday showed that one in every 8 Kenyans aged 15 – 65 years, a population of about 3,199,119 people, are currently using alcohol.

Of these, the majority are in the Western region where the highest prevalence of alcohol use was observed at 23.8% followed by the Coast region at 13.9% and Central Kenya at 12.8%.

The survey further shows that Nairobi has the highest prevalence of manufactured legal alcohol at 10.3% followed by Central at 10.0% and Eastern (8.4%).

Use of chang'aa was highest in Western region at 11.4% and Nyanza came in second at 6.3% and Rift Valley at 3.6%.

Traditional liquor also recorded highest in Western region at 12.9% followed by Coast (7.4%) and Nyanza (2.2%).

The use of potable spirits recorded a high of 4.1% in the Central region followed by Coast (3.2%) and Rift Valley (3.1%).

Tobacco came in second on the list with a prevalence of 8.5% which translates to one in every 12 Kenyans aged 15 – 65 years (2,305,929) using the drug.

In a regional breakdown, the Central region recorded the highest at 11.9% followed by Coast (10.8%) and Eastern (10.7%).

Khat, otherwise known as Miraa, was third with a prevalence of 3.6% meaning 1 in every 28 Kenyans aged 15 – 65 years (964,737) are current users.

The substance is mostly used in the Eastern region with a percentage of 9.6% followed by North Eastern (7.2%) and Nairobi (4.9%).

Listing at the fourth position, Canabbis or Bhang has in every 53 Kenyans aged 15 – 65 years (518,807) currently using it with the number increasing by 90 percent in the last five years.

Nairobi leads in the drug's consumption followed by Nyanza and Coast.

NACADA adds that one in every 500 Kenyans aged 15 – 65 years (60,407) are using prescription drugs.

Of the same age demographic, one in every 500 males (18,567) and 1 in every 333 females (41,840) are using the drugs.

About 1,766,583 Kenyans were found to be using polydrugs (multiple drugs) and 4,733,152 are using at least one substance.

The data further showed that the average age category for initiation of tobacco, alcohol, khat, cannabis, prescription drugs, cocaine and heroin was 16 – 20 years. 

However, the minimum age of initiation for tobacco was 6 years, alcohol (7), cannabis (8), khat (9), prescription drugs (8), heroin (18) and cocaine (20).