drug abuse Stories

Residents push for revival of 'white card' jobs to curb unemployment in Mombasa
Farhiya Hussein  |  Jul 17, 2025

The casual labour programme, scrapped 16 years ago, allowed the port authority to hire workers on short-term renewable contracts, providing a critical...

Kenya to raise legal drinking age to 21, ban online alcohol sales in major policy overhaul
Lucy Mumbi  |  Jul 14, 2025

The reforms include strict zoning regulations, a ban on home alcohol deliveries, and the prohibition of celebrity endorsements, all aimed at reversing...

Police nab notorious drug trafficker carrying bhang on Mombasa highway
Farhiya Hussein  |  Jul 13, 2025

The suspect, identified as 47-year-old Michael Charles Chacha, was arrested while travelling in a public service vehicle.

Why taxing sugar, alcohol won’t solve Kenya’s consumption crisis - here’s what must change
Charity Kilei  |  Jul 08, 2025

WHO recommends that the retail price of tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks be increased by at least 50 per cent over the next decade through targeted...

Criminal networks exploiting instability to fuel global drug trade - UN
Mary Wambui  |  Jul 05, 2025

While cannabis remains the main drug sourced, trafficked and used in Africa, in the past decade, the document shows that the continent has been increa...

Lamu parents urged to support boy child amid rising drug addiction linked to neglect
Farhiya Hussein  |  Jun 29, 2025

Recent estimates indicate that around 45 per cent of men on Pate Island are struggling with drug addiction, sparking concern among health officials an...

UN urged to condemn death penalty for drug crimes as executions surge
Bashir Mbuthia  |  Jun 27, 2025

According to figures from Amnesty International and Harm Reduction International, over 600 people were executed globally for drug-related offences in...

Duale suspends licences for distribution of nicotine products, orders re-application in 21 days
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  May 31, 2025

All individuals and companies previously licensed must reapply within 21 days and provide full compliance documentation.

NACADA shuts down illegal rehab centre over inhumane conditions
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  May 28, 2025

The facility, which lacked proper licenses, was found to be operating without qualified medical or counselling staff, putting the lives of its clients...

Bhang was their father: A mother’s raw journey through addiction, survival and sobriety
Charity Kilei  |  May 11, 2025

Reports by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse indicate a growing trend in drug use among women and girls in Kenya.

Storekeeper of notorious Malindi drug cartel arrested, bhang worth Sh12 million recovered
Farhiya Hussein  |  May 08, 2025

Officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations raided a suspected stash house and recovered bhang with an estimated street value of Sh12 mil...

10 counties, including Garissa, Mombasa flagged as hotspots for youth substance abuse
Lucy Mumbi  |  May 05, 2025

The Ministry of Health also expressed concern over substance use among the young working population aged between 25 and 35, noting that around 1.5 mil...

Trapped by TB and addiction: How substance abuse fuels spread of tuberculosis
Charity Kilei  |  May 03, 2025

Substance use significantly weakens the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to TB infection or relapse. Moreover, alcohol interferes wi...

Garissa Muslim leaders urge crackdown on cross-border drug trafficking to save youth
Issa Hussein  |  Apr 16, 2025

They called upon the government to address cross-border drug trafficking in the region to keep youth from the vice.

Governor Abdulswamad tables proposal to curb abuse of prescription drugs in Mombasa
Farhiya Hussein  |  Apr 15, 2025

Under the proposed framework, the sale of addictive prescription drugs would be limited to pharmacies based in Level 4 and higher hospitals.

Notorious drug trafficker nabbed in sting operation on Lunga Lunga Highway
Farhiya Hussein  |  Apr 05, 2025

Authorities say the operation led to the seizure of 20 kilogrammes of high-grade bhang (Skank), estimated to be worth Sh1 million, which had been traf...

Murkomen under fire for linking Gen Z activism to mental health, drug abuse
Lucy Mumbi  |  Apr 01, 2025

Inuka Kenya Ni Sisi!, a civil society organisation advocating for mental health awareness, has now condemned Murkomen’s remarks, demanding an apology.

Interior CS Murkomen links Gen Z's online activism to drug abuse, mental illnesses
Lucy Mumbi  |  Mar 30, 2025

According to Murkomen, substance abuse has "extremely destroyed" the lot who have resorted to insulting people online as a coping mechanism.

Government appoints team of experts to aid war against narcotics
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Mar 08, 2025

Murkomen said the initiative aligns with the government's commitment to addressing the growing drug abuse crisis, particularly among the youth.

Nairobi County steps up fight against drug abuse with new reforms
Charity Kilei  |  Feb 20, 2025

To address this crisis, the county is implementing robust interventions, including reviewing legal frameworks to ensure liquor outlets are restricted...

Drug abuse: State considers banning off-campus housing for varsity students
Lucy Mumbi  |  Feb 13, 2025

Officials say that unsupervised off-campus housing is to blame for the rise in drug abuse and bad behaviour among students.

NACADA links drug abuse to growing depression in universities
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Feb 13, 2025

The study stresses the urgent need for stronger mental health support systems in universities across the country.

Nearly half of university students in Kenya have abused drugs - NACADA
Mary Wambui  |  Feb 13, 2025

The findings indicate that alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, khat, and even emerging substances such as methamphetamine and codeine syrup are becoming incre...

NACADA report shows rising trend of alcohol consumption among university students
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Feb 13, 2025

NACADA's study, which surveyed undergraduate students from both public and private universities in Kenya, also revealed that friends are the leading s...

Two brothers arrested in Mombasa over Sh22.5 million bhang haul
Farhiya Hussein  |  Feb 12, 2025

The arrest comes amid ongoing efforts to curb drug abuse in the Coast region, where law enforcement agencies have been battling an influx of illicit s...

Study shows frequent marijuana use may impair key memory skills, affect job performance
Charity Kilei  |  Jan 30, 2025

Cannabis remains one of the most commonly used illicit substances worldwide, with approximately 147 million people — about 2.5 per cent of the global...

Ruweida Obbo: Lamu’s fearless legislator fighting for equality, end of drug abuse
Farhiya Hussein  |  Jan 26, 2025

Apart from defending girls, Ruweida has also been at the forefront of denouncing vices, especially drug abuse, in Lamu County.

How Lamu parents have resorted to donkey racing to keep teenagers off drugs
Farhiya Hussein  |  Dec 26, 2024

This initiative by Lamu parents coincides with advice from Lamu County Commissioner Wesley Koech, who has urged parents to remain vigilant and activel...

NACADA raises alarm over minors buying alcohol from petrol stations in Nairobi
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Dec 18, 2024

According to NACADA, this troubling trend has been exacerbated by the growing reliance on mobile money transactions, which bypass the legal requiremen...

Government to close over 2,000 bars near schools in nationwide crackdown
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Nov 21, 2024

The government's push to close alcohol outlets is part of a broader strategy to curb alcohol consumption.

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