A report by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) reveals that friends are the primary source of drugs in universities, accounting for 66.4 percent of cases.
Canteens, bars, and nearby premises follow at 59.3 percent, while fellow students within the institutions rank third at 56.0 percent. Online purchases via websites or social media come in fourth at 39.4 per cent.
According to NACADA, other sources of drug and subtances include support or non-teaching staff (11.4percent) and lecturers or teaching staff at 7 per cent.
The report further highlights that the major risk factors for drug substance use included having an influencer such as a girlfriend or boyfriend or role model abusing drugs and substances.
Other factors for drug substance use included; inability to cope with stress or stressful situations, unresolved trauma due to childhood domestic violence, Gender Based Violence or bereavement, not being actively involved in a religious group and involvement in gambling or betting.
Alcohol was highlighted as the most accessible substance among university students at 87.3 per cent, followed by cigarettes (64.4 per cent) and shisha (41.2 per cent).
“Findings revealed that smoked cannabis was the most available narcotic drug at 61.7percent, followed by cannabis edibles (47.6percent), cocaine (15.1percent), and heroin (14.3percent),” the report further states.
Cannabis edibles include weed cookies, mabuyu, lollipops, and juice.
The study also showed that drugs and substance use was associated with the failure of students to sit for examinations or continuous assessment tests (CATs), missing classes or lectures and involvement in disciplinary issues with lecturers or the institution.
NACADA collected both quantitative and qualitative data for the study, which covered 17 public and private universities across eight administrative regions- Nairobi, Coast, Nyanza, Western, Central, Eastern, North Eastern, and Rift Valley.
A total of 15,678 respondents participated in the study.
