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Drug and alcohol usage is an issue with far reaching consequences in Kenya, affecting individuals from both urban and rural environments on a physical and mental level.

History
'''The prevalence of drug and alcohol use have changed alongside historical developments. In precolonial times, for example, Kenyan society allowed for drug use and alcohol consumption albeit only during cultural activities. The right to use drugs and consume alcohol was exclusive to male and female elders within Kenyan communities. Youth, by contrast, were barred from such activities.'''

'''With the growth in trade from colonialism, access to alcohol grew. Another effect of colonialism on Kenyan society was that the concept of a social community was diminished. Kenyans accepted the new economic opportunities birthed by colonialism and recognized the importance of the individual. As the traditional family structure weakened, the informal limits upon the usage of drugs and alcohol were lessened.'''

Types of Drugs
'''There are a number of drugs in use in Kenya. These include cigarettes, tobacco, kuber, shisha, packaged alcohol, chang'aa, hashish, bhang, cocaine, heroin, khat, inhalants, prescription drugs (sedatives or sleeping pills, morphine, codeine, pethidine), synthetic drugs (amphetamine, hallucinogens, mandrax).'''

Policy Landscape
'''Aware of the negative effects of drug and alcohol abuse, the Kenyan government has made an active effort in recent years towards informing and preventing the populace from abusing these substances through policy. The Tobacco Control Act 2007 was designed to protect individuals from disease and death caused by tobacco. It also aimed to better inform consumers on the risks associated with smoking, while preventing those under the age of 18 from purchasing tobacco products. In 2010, The Alcoholic Drinks Control Act was passed with the aim of protecting "the health of individuals  by providing a legal framework to control sale, production & consumption of alcoholic drinks." It also sought to better educate the general populace of the risks of alcohol consumption.'''

Drug Trafficking
'''Kenya's state apparatus can be characterized as weak due to its lack of strong, formal institutions. Aware of these voids, informal groups such as drug traffickers and gangs have inserted themselves lack of formal security institutions facilitated a growth in drug trafficking. The presidency of dhas resulted in an inability to provide security through institutions.'''

Institutional decay and violations of the rule of law through formal security providers in fragile states are cause and effect not only of the emergence of informal security actors, but also of the advent of drug-trafficking organizations.

Response to Social Stigma
Kenya is conservative in its view of members of the LGBTQ community and has criminalized sexual activity which is non-heterosexual. Under Section 162 of the Kenyan Penal Code, any person "who has carnal knowledge of any person against the order of nature is guilty of a felony and liable to imprisonment for fourteen years." Section 165 criminalizes homosexual acts, decreeing that any male who "commits any act of gross indecency with another male person...is guilty of a felony and liable to imprisonment for five years."

In recent years, LGBTQ members in Kenya have attempted to push for legislation to decriminalize these types of sexual activity.

'''Given the legal institutionalization of homophobia, certain demographics suffer harassment and As a means ofOne demographic that engages in alcohol or substance abuse is men who have sex with men (MSM). The need to utilize such substances arises as a response to the Kenyan public's condemnation of same-sex activities. A report conducted by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights found that due to the criminalisation of same-sex activities, LGBTI are frequently harassed by authority figures such as the police. Those who are known or suspected of having engaged in same-sex activities also have been disciplined by academic institutions through suspension or expulsion. As a result, MSM may resort to using alcohol or illicit substances as a coping mechanism when faced with this form of institutionalized stigma.'''

Poor Parenting and Poverty
'''A study conducted in 2016 examined the role of poor parenting within nine villages in Kibera, a large slum in Kenya, and its effects on the prevalence of substance or alcohol abuse among youth from the area. With regards to the socioeconomic makeup of the slum's inhabitants, may are poor, earning less than a dollar a day. Researchers noted that a majority of parents grew up within the slum themselves and were not exposed to proper parenting that was passed down from the previous generation. Poor parenting comes in the form of disconnection from the child, continuance of poor habits (using drugs), and overall negligence.'''

'''Through qualitative interviews with members of the slum, researchers came to the conclusion that many of the slum's adults were single-parents who were primarily women fixated on earning income by whatever means possible. With financial security as a primary objective, many parents neglected their children. Many were also unemployed and unable to provide reliable care and services. As a result, children, without proper parental supervision, become more prone to engaging in alcohol or substance abuse on their own.'''

Peer pressure
'''Peer pressure is a major factor contributing towards drug abuse. Several studies support the idea that there is a greater risk of drug abuse among female Kenyan youth, with one finding that 24.14% of participants began their drug usage due to peer pressure, which was further strengthened by the apparent benefits that one could feel from taking these drugs. '''

'''Drugs, alongside alcohol, play a role among Kenyan youth living in slums. What is more likely to arise is that boys, under the influence of these substances, will subject girls to forced sexual intercourse, while girls will be unable to properly defend themselves. '''

Behavior Disorders in Educational Environments
'''One study examined drug use in secondary public schools in Nairobi county in 2015. The research indicates that 41.3% of students reported having witnessed students bullying others while under the influence of drugs. Based on the teachers' reports, they claimed to have witnessed students using alcohol, tobacco, narcotics, cannabis, hallucinogens, etc. Additionally, 42.1% of respondents at boys schools reported having a classmate who abuses drugs, whereas 14.4% of respondents at girls schools said the same. In the past, there have been instances of students physically assaulting teachers and fellow students, engaging in sexual violence such as rape, and committed criminal acts such as stealing.'''

Pregnancy
'''Kenyan women who actively engage in drug injecting experience several complications with regards to their pregnancies. One is that drug-injecting can lead to amenorrhea, resulting in women being unaware that they are even pregnant until further along. Several women who were interviewed reported that they were subject to poor treatment by hospital staff, occasionally being sent to the back of the queue or being asked to return at a later time. Another issue was that certain women would prioritize their pursuit of new drugs over care of their own bodies and children.'''

Disease
'''One of the more long-term effects brought about by drug use in Kenya is the transmission of HIV among the populace. What typically occurs is that under the effects of drugs, those who engage in sexual activities are more likely to make rash and impulsive decisions. There are also cases in which those who are desperate for drugs will engage in sexual behavior, leading to contraction of HIV. In addition to the difficulties of the disease itself, those with HIV must surpass numerous barriers when attempting to receive proper treatment. HIV is technically free, but the cost for some to travel to clinics was simply too much.'''

Chemical Dependence
'''Chemical dependence refers to various indicators such as "craving for the substance, needing the substance first thing in the morning; concern by someone close to the respondent or a doctor about the person's drug consumption habits" (2012 Report). The report indicated that within an age range from 15 to 65, about "5.8% of Kenyans are abusing alcohol while another 5.5% are dependent on alcohol use; 3.7% are abusing tobacco while 4.5% are dependent on tobacco use; 1.6% are abusing miraa while 1.5% are dependent on miraa use and finally, 0.4% are abusing bhang while another 0.4% are dependent on bhang use" (2012 Report).'''

Slow economic development
''Drug abuse has slowed economic development in many parts of Mombasa, helping keep unemployment rates high and economic productivity low even among the users themselves. In addition, high crime rates discourage foreign investment.''

Stigma within Health Community
'''A report published by the Harm Reduction Journal examined the impact of stigma faced by women on the Kenyan Coast who injected drugs. Based on the information collected from 45 interviews with women who had injected drugs, the researchers formed several conclusions with regards to stigma. The types of stigma included:'''


 * Self-Stigmatization: Internal feelings of shame and low self-esteem due to having injected drugs
 * External Stigmatization: Feelings of social exclusion due to isolation from the community and

= Treatment = '''There exist a number of paths by which drug and alcohol abuse can be curtailed. One is rehabilitation facilities which are found primarily in major, urban centers. As a result, it is more difficult for those living in rural environments to access these services due to their geographic placement (Booklet)'''