Drug Abuse among the Youth
Loading...
Date
1998-02
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Tangaza University College
Abstract
This Long Essay was prompted by one main consideration; namely, that the non-medical
use of drugs is rampant among the Kenyan youth. This has affected not only the youth themselves,
but also their families and society at large. In other words, what the World Health Organisation
(WHO) has been saying for over three decades about trends in the world as a whole is seen to be
increasing in the specific case of Kenya. This problem has also been re-echoed persistently by the
Kenyan mass media.
Our concern was that the precise character and magnitude of the drug problem among
Kenyan youth has yet to be adequately documented and addressed. We directed our research study
precisely to our youth in some Don Bosco schools and youth centres.
This research study, whose results are recorded here, will render a great help to us in order
to evaluate the prevalence of drug abuse among our Don Bosco youth. The findings reported here
are based on the responses obtained from a randomly selected sample of Nairobi City and Embu
town
One of our most significant findings is that according to their frequencies, the four most
abused drugs are alcohol (57), khat (30), cannabis (12) and opium/heroin (10). Another
outstanding element is that out of the total percentage of respondents (100%), 43.8% were drug
abusers.
On the basis of these and other findings, we conclude that any campaign against drug
abuse in Nairobi City and Embu town must focus primarily on alcohol, khat, cannabis and
opium/heroin. Based on the foregoing and other inferences, we conclude that any campaign
launched in Nairobi and Embu against the drug menace should address their availability and
accessibility. The youth, who are the most vulnerable sector of the Kenyan population, must be
seriously sensitised. This should be done through the mass media, seminars, workshops,
counselling and by creating youth activities.
Let us take note that one must be extremely careful about how one handles a media
campaign against drugs to avoid arousing curiosity among the youth. However, this risk is
surpassed by the likely benefits of such a campaign. A focus on availability of the drugs of abuse
would appear more promising.
Description
Keywords
Drug Abuse, Youth, Pastoral Issue