'KENYANS ARE NOT CONSUMERS OF THE IMPORTED DRUGS'

Contrary to common belief, not many Kenyans are consumers of the imported
drugs - cocaine, mandrax, hashish and heroine. Kenya's biggest drug problem,
according to the National Co-ordinator of the National Agency for the
Campaign Against Drug Abuse, Joseph Kaguthi, is cigarette smoking, alcohol,
miraa and bhang.

These are the drugs whose potential for abuse by children below the age of
21 is causing great worry to the authorities.

Bhang smoking is introduced through alcohol, cigarettes, miraa and
inhalants. One out of eight of those who take alcohol, which according to
Kaguthi removes any forms of social inhibitions, end up being alcoholics. In
Western Province, 89 percent of children aged between 10 and 24 are today
taking alcohol.

Cigarette smoking is posing an even bigger problem. Up to 5 million of
Kenyans above the age of 15 are smoking. Per capita smoking per person rose
from 379 in 1965 to 629 in 1989 and it is still on the rise. Anti-smoking
lobby groups attribute this to what is being seen a major government
blunder.

In 1979, for example, tobacco companies are said to have initiated a rather
callous scheme that would lure high school students into smoking, and the
result of this is now evident in the rise in per capita smoking.

Although the government has established the so-called Tobacco Free
Initiative as an advisory body to the Director of Medical Services, there is
concern from groups like Nacada that its scope is so limited.

Research conducted recently shows that 20 percent of primary school pupils
are considering to start smoking in the next 12 months.

Yet 70 percent of those who are smoking have been unable to stop,
counselling efforts aimed at assessing them to stop notwithstanding.