Drug abuse is higher among university students- NACADA report

Half of the students in the universities have used at least one drug or substance in their campus times.

According to new data that has been released, alcohol is the most commonly used substance among university students.

The National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) report highlights the widespread use of alcohol, with 87.3 per cent of students reporting alcohol consumption, followed by cigarettes at 64.4 per cent, and shisha at 41.2 per cent.

The survey done amongst undergraduate students from both public and private universities in Kenya revealed that friends are the leading source of drugs and substances for students.

A staggering 66.4 per cent of respondents said they get drugs or substances from their friends, while 59.3 per cent said they source them from neighbourhood canteens and bars.

Fellow students also accounted for 56 per cent of the sources, while lecturers were noted as a source for 39.4 per cent of students.

Institutional Canteens and Shops together with online platforms contribute 39.4 per cent.

Vaping, Kuber, Miraa, and nicotine products are also largely used by students at 31 per cent, 30.7 per cent, 23 per cent, and 22.1 per cent respectively.

The study by NACADA also revealed that twenty per cent use alcohol once a month while one out of a group of eight uses tobacco and its products.

Shisha, e-cigarettes, cigarettes, and cannabis are also regularly used by students, with one in every 22, 17, 14, and nine students, respectively, reporting use in the last 30 days.

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The study also noted the concerning use of harder substances, with one in every 24 students using inhalants, and smaller numbers using cocaine (one in 63) and heroin (one in 59) within the past month.

The data was collected from a sample of 15,678 students, providing a 99.7 per cent response rate. Of these, 61.5 per cent were from public universities, while 38.5 per cent were from private institutions.

The study also found that there were more male respondents, accounting for 54.2 per cent of the total, compared to 45.2 per cent of female respondents.