The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) plans to implement stricter rules on the sale and consumption of alcohol and drugs.
The National Policy on the Prevention of Alcohol, Drugs and Substance Use (2025) proposes stringent measures that the Authority believes will tame the alcohol consumption crisis in the country, mostly among the youth.
Some of the rules include banning the sale of alcohol near schools and places of worship, while instilling a zero tolerance for irresponsible alcohol/drug promotion.
Likewise, the policy aims to restrict the sale of alcohol to under-21s while also enhancing protection for those who seek to abstain from alcohol and drugs.
The Cabinet okayed the policy on June 24, as the government allowed the Authority to enforce the new rules.
NACADA will also be creating special safeguards for PWDs and the vulnerable.
In February 2025, NACADA launched the Status of Drugs and Substance Use Among University Students in Kenya revealed that alcohol continues to be the most commonly used substance among university students.
The data reported that 87.3 per cent of students consume alcohol, followed by cigarettes at 64.4 per cent, and shisha at 41.2 per cent.
The study surveyed 15,678 undergraduate students from both public and private universities in Kenya.
It also showed that 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.
The Authority has been engaging communities and collaborating with faith-based organizations to help sensitize citizens against the use of substances.
