Causes and Effects of Drug Abuse and Health Care in Kenya

Causes and Effects of Drug Abuse and Health Care in Kenya

Drug abuse serves as one of the major plagues in Kenya with easily recognizable and common manifestation in the health of the public. More than half of drug abusers within Kenya are children aged between 10 to 19, with more than 60% of them as urban residents as 21% reside in the rural regions of the country. Individuals who abuse drugs from age 14 and below have a high probability of developing drug issues in their future life. Drugs such as tobacco, Khat (mirror), alcohol, psychotropic, and alcohol are some of the commonly abused substances in the country. Government bodies such as NACADA have developed a series of interventions that entail comprehensive education. The intervention aims at empowering youths as well as the general public within an extended period to counter drug abuse.  A series of bodies have collaborated to fight against the misuse of drugs with critical factors such as the media, relevant professionals, government department, spiritual leaders, Non-Governmental Organizations, institutional leaders, and parental associations. While identifying the mitigation measures which have been institutionalized to inhibit the spread of drug abuse, NACADA has decided to emphasize on homegrown mitigation measures that are conscious in the economic, societal, and cultural environments and influences.

The measures have been put in place or in plan to attain positive behavioral change as well as attitudes majorly among young adults and youths dealing with drug issues. The utilization of substance, as well as drug abuse in primary and high schools in Kenya, has been a rampant phenomenon. A NACADA survey regarding drug abuse was conducted to identify the prevalence of drug abuse among high school students. The results of the study revealed that the abuse of drugs was highly prevalent among high school going teenagers. Typically, close to 10% of students were heavy alcohol drinkers who could consume alcohol at least four in a week, 16% of the population smoked cigarettes more than four times weekly, as nearly 14% were hefty bhang smokers within 18% admitted to taking at least a tranquilizer just to make their minds feel less sober (Wanjiru 18). According to the study, drug abuse was more prevalent in urban schools more than schools in rural regions.

Health facilities to combat an overwhelming number of drug issues among youths are unevenly distributed. The disparities continue to widen in affordable and accessible medical institutions and services. According to, Kahuthia-Gathu et al., only 42% of the populations in Kenya are able to access sufficient medical facilities with 75% of the people who can access care within a distant of 8 kilometers as only 7% of Kenyans are able to access rehabilitation centers as a mitigation measure for their children (5310). Mental health is consistently becoming a significant issue among youths. Depression, anxiety, psychosis, and eating disorder are leading psychological problems which are majorly contributed by youths.

Young adults register the highest population with drug issues as idleness due to unemployment plays a significant role in enhancing the prevalence. In several circumstances, parents, as well as other guardians, do not have the appropriate skills to assist their children in navigating drug issues and prevent them from engaging in such skills. The absence of mitigation measures also complicated the process of drug and substance abuse. While abuse of drugs is illegal in Kenya, weak policies and poor enforcement of laws is a direct contributor to the high prevalence of drug abuse among youths.

Causes and Effects of Drug abuse

A particular cross-sectional study was conducted to identify the level of smoking among youths as well as the factors which prompt smoking among 6,711 secondary students in the capital city of Kenya. Peer pressure was the leading cause of drug abuse, with at least 76.4% of victims. Other causes of peer pressure were a failure at school, family background, frustrations at home, mass media influence, the need to keep them awake in class, each registering 51.5%, 43.5%, 37.1%, 33.3%, 31.6%, and 24.5% respectively. The findings were that 4, 145 (70.1%) smoked either bhang or cigarettes, where 39. 4% were males, while 18.7% were females (Sereta et al. 45). Within the study, the participants revealed that they begin experimenting with the drug at the age of 5, and while before attaining ten years, they were already regular smokers. A significant bit of the students under survey, 71.3% began smoking bhang between the age of 11 and 13 (Sereta et al. 46). The relationship between the causes and the effects of substance and drug abuse is complicated. Some of the direct purposes are easy availability and peer pressure.

Figure 1.1: Reasons why students abuse drugs versus teachers.

Youths who consistently abuse substances and use drugs usually encounter a series of issues such as school absenteeism, the decline in academic performance, and high probability of school dropout. According to research by (Mburu 131), a high level of truancy, as well as low level of education commitment, are highly associated with substance abuse among youths who are in their adolescents’ stages. Behavioral and cognitive issues that are usually experienced due to high drug and alcohol consumption may cause an interference with the victim’s academic performances if not presenting challenges to learning for the classmates.

Physical disabilities and health injuries from car accidents, different forms of infections, and the impacts from possible overdoses serve as a few of the health-related effects of drug abuse by teenagers (Wanjiru 21). A significant bit of youth who are involved in drugs and alcohol use face a high risk of death due to issues such as illnesses, suicide, accident, and homicide. One of the primary ways of HIV transmission is through the body fluid exposures from infected individuals during intercourse or while sharing drug injected equipments which are unsterilized. Most youths who engage in substance abuse involve in acts that increase their chances of counteracting Sexually Transmitted Diseases such as gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV/AIDS, and many others. The process may occur due to the direct utilization of psychoactive substances, especially the ones which are administered through injections or the formation of behavior that results from impulse control and poor judgment while experiencing the impacts that reside with substances, which alters the user’s moods.

Lack of adequate provision of rehabilitation centers and healthcare services in Kenya has seen a series of youth perishing due to the effects of drug abusers such as suicide, HIV/AIDs infections, depression, and many others. According to the World Health Organization, the number of suicides among youths rose to 58% from 2008 to 2017 (Kahuthia-Gathu 520). Out of the 412 suicide cases reported, 330 were men, while 91 were women. It is also estimated that at least 317 youths commit suicide every year (Kahuthia-Gathu 521).

Figure 1.2: The number of youth who committed suicide from 2008 to 2017.

The use of drugs and substances is associated with poor mental health. Adolescents who abuse drugs may frequently experience psychological issues such as apathy, depression, withdrawal, developmental lags, and several other psychosocial dysfunctions (Ndetei 138). Unlike non-users, substance abusers have a high probability of contracting mental issues such as depression, which may cause problems related to suicidal thoughts, suicide, conduct problems, suicidal thoughts, and personality disorders. The use of marijuana, which is highly consumed among youths, profoundly interferes with short-memory, psychomotor skills, and learning. Such teenagers may also experience issues related to psychosexual/emotional development and motivation.

The abuse of drugs may also lead to family-related issues. Aside from personal adversities, youth’s consumption of alcohol and drugs may jeopardize their relationships with family members, which may extend to the level of family dysfunction (Sereta et al. 49). Both parents and siblings are adversely impacted by who is either involved in substance abuse or heavy alcohol consumption. The exploitation of substances can milk the emotional as well as financial resources in families.

Increased rate of delinquencies among youths is usually inked to either substance or drug use (Kasundu 56). Episodes such as adjudication, justice system intervention, and arrest are, eventually, the impacts of engagement in drug use and alcohol consumption by youths.   It is impossible to claim that the abuse of substances causes one to adopt a delinquent behavior or that high rates of delinquencies constitute a significant cause of drug abuse. However, both substance abuse and misconducts go hand-in-hand, which is a significant cause of both family and school issues, especially when the victims engage in peer groups with negative social records, sexual or physical abuse, and lack of social controls within the neighborhoods. Utilization and possession of alcohol as well as drugs, are criminal elements that may enhance the chances or delinquencies (Mburu 133). Beyond that, there exists significant evidence of an association that takes place between drug use and alcohol, as well as juvenile delinquent behaviors.  The abuse of substances highly link to both income-generating and violent crimes. The element instills fear among the members of the community around the victims as they will also demand criminal justice as well as juvenile substance for the youth, which in turn enhances the burden on the services. Behaviors such as increased rates of homicides, the formation of gangs, prostitution, and drug trafficking are some of the criminal justice and social problems that are highly associated with substance abuse among adolescents.

Figure 1.2: High school students facing court charges for smoking bhang and possessing pornographic materials

Reasons for Youth Consumption of Easily Available Drugs

According to a study by (Kasundu 58), youths consume illegal drugs because they are readily available. Among other reasons is the promotion interest among the individuals that financially benefit from the sale of drugs. According to an article by the Daily Nation, in places such as Kisumu, several shops, especially at the bus stop areas as well as the schools that are found within the vicinity of the town, serves as the largest dens of drug-taking. Some of the drugs that are ferried continuously in the areas are dependence producing drugs, which will likely prompt the youths to buy and consume them. A peer group or friend has the highest probability to be a source of information to the substance users regarding the drug availability as well as their illegible impacts.

Age factor is also a prominent issue when it comes to the ready availability of illegal drugs.  A significant bit of students reside in the adolescent age, usually referred to as a transition that takes place from childhood to adulthood (Ndetei 141). The teenage period is one that is filled with difficulties, transformations, as well as psychological issues like self-identification. The period is often described as stressful and stormy as youth can undergo self-assertion and self-discovery.   It is also the stage where teenagers tend to do a series of self-experimentation. Curiosity, which serves as a modern-day rite-of-passage, serves as one of the most outstanding elements during this time of adolescent. Typically, during adolescent, young people will aspire to try a series of drugs and substances with the intent of determining their effects as they hear that their fellow youths are also engaging in the same.

Adolescents from family backgrounds that drink alcohol and abuse drugs are likely to be influenced in doing the same. Kahuthia-Gathu asserted that children who come from families where parents are drug takers would tend to imitate the behaviors that they see from their parents (523). Young individuals not only learn from the society but also their families, especially parents. Parents who expose their children to a considerable amount of capital while at their young age indirectly prompt their children to abuse drugs and substances. Ones cash is readily available in the pockets or the travel allowances of the youths, they take the excess bits to purchase drugs, which later impact their lives negatively. They usually don’t put the money in proper plans, and when they get opportunities, they team up as peers to experiment with drugs, which later renders them, addicts.

Specific methods that schools use to administer student may be a reason for the ready availability of substances and drugs to students (Kasundu 70). The administration points out how the department that manages student affairs prepares, and equip themselves to instill, mobilize, and allocate the proper control measures to attain the goals of the institutions. Harsh treatment, highhandedness, lack of freedom, among school administrations, as well as the failure of a student to raise their concerns mitigated, develops stress that can prompt them to begin abusing drugs. Besides, there are cases where subordinate staffs or teachers in particular schools smuggle drugs to students- an element. The element has proven to be more detrimental to students’ life than any other reason.

Conclusion

Abuse of drugs is a common phenomenon that spells dangers among youth who are abusers as well as the nation’s well being since teenagers are the feature life of the country. The abuse of drugs is determined by both protective and risk factors in society. All schools, whether rural or urban, host students who abuse drugs, although the prevalence is high in boys than among girls. Some of the influencing factors to drug consumption is their ready availability, age of the abuser, and family backgrounds. The drugs which are commonly abused in Kenya are Mirra, alcohol, and tobacco. Peer pressure, family history, excessive pocket money, and frustrations are some of the elements that cause the abuse of drugs among youths.

Moreover, research findings suggest that the use of drugs, especially at an early age, interferes with the social development and academic performance of the abuser. While the prevalence of drug abuse among youths has remained high, several interventions have been put in place to curb drug abuse both at national and school levels. Therefore, it is essential to revisit the available interventions and strengthen them through the imposition of stiffer penalties among offenders. The government also needs to create comprehensive policies that will assist in handling the abuse of drugs in schools as well as equip teachers with the necessary knowledge and skills to enable them to handle drug abuse appropriately.

Works Cited

Kathia-Gathu, R., et al. “Trends and emerging drugs in Kenya: A case study in Mombasa and Nairobi County.” Journal of Applied Biosciences 67 (2013): 5308-5325.

Kasundu, Bosco, et al. “Factors contributing to drug abuse among the youth in Kenya: A Case of Bamburi Location.” (2012). Retrieved from https://www.elixirpublishers.com/articles/1350378627_46%20(2012)%208259-8267.pdf

Mburu, Simon. “Causes of Drug Abuse Among Youth in Kenya. Retrieved from https://www.kenyaplex.com/resources/4909-causes-of-drug-abuse-among-youth-in-kenya.aspx

Ndetei, David M., et al. “Patterns of drug abuse in public secondary schools in Kenya.” Substance abuse 30.1 (2009): 69-78.

Sereta, Ben Nyachwaya, et al. “An assessment of the effectiveness of drug rehabilitation programs in Kisii County-Kenya.” (2016). Retrieved from https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/an-assessment-of-effectiveness-of-drug-rehabilitation-programs-in-kisiicounty-kenya-2380-5439-1000165.php?aid=69988

Wanjiru, Anthony. “Students Reveal Why They Smoke Bhang.” Daily Nation. Retrieved from https://www.nation.co.ke/lifestyle/Students-reveal-why-they-smoke-bhang/1190-3074034-gy8er7z/index.html