NACADA report shows rising trend of alcohol consumption among university students

Alcohol continues to be the most commonly used substance among university students, according to new data released by the National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA).

The data released on Thursday 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.

NACADA's study, which surveyed undergraduate students from both public and private universities in Kenya, also 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.

Other sources included online platforms and institutional canteens or shops, both at 39.4 per cent.

In addition to alcohol, other substances used by students include vaping at 31 per cent, nicotine pouches at 30.7 per cent, kuber at 23 per cent, and snuff/chewed tobacco at 22.1 per cent.

The study also showed that about one in every five university students (20 per cent) has used alcohol in the past month, while one in every eight has used at least one type of tobacco.

Other substances like 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.

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.

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