NACADA Exposes Primary School Pupils as The Biggest Prescription Drug Traffickers
The Chief Executive Officer of the National Authority for Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), Victor Okioma, recently made a statement regarding the abuse of prescription drugs in schools in Kenya.
Okioma revealed that primary school pupils are the biggest traffickers of these drugs and that it is a growing problem that is faced by schools despite restrictions.
It is alarming that primary school pupils have easier access to these drugs compared to high school students, given that they have fewer restrictions, such as free movement in and out of the schools.
Okioma also explained how the pupils are able to sneak the drugs into the schools, by disguising them as medication when reporting to school.
“We also have evidence that the kiosks outside schools are sources of these drugs, the students pretend to buy bread and get the drugs,” the CEO explained.
This makes it easier for them to pass through without being suspected of carrying drugs.
In addition, there are shops located next to the institutions that aid the entry of drugs into the schools, by claiming to sell food to the students but secretly selling the drugs.
The CEO warned parents against leaving medication unattended or storing them where the children can easily access them, as it contributes to the increasing misuse of prescription drugs in schools.
He also pointed fingers at pharmacies, stating that the government is putting in place plans to regulate rogue pharmacists.
The CEO added that he has already had a discussion with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, which regulates pharmacists, and they have agreed that there is a problem that needs to be fixed.
In February 2021, NACADA conducted a national survey that showed a rising trend of drug abuse among school-going children, which is a cause for concern.
To address this issue, in January 2021, the former education Cabinet Secretary warned that the government would introduce blood testing and canning in schools, as a way to reduce drug abuse among students.
He announced that random visits to schools would be conducted to conduct blood tests and students who test positive would be expelled.
NACADA Exposes Primary School Pupils as The Biggest Prescription Drug Traffickers