The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) plans to implement stricter rules on alcohol and drug sale and consumption to address rising substance abuse among Kenyan youth.
Under the National Policy on the Prevention of Alcohol, Drugs and Substance Use (2025), NACADA will ban alcohol sales near schools and places of worship and enforce zero tolerance for irresponsible alcohol and drug promotion.
The policy, approved by the Cabinet on 24th June, also seeks to raise the legal drinking age to 21 while protecting those seeking to abstain from drugs and alcohol.
NACADA will create safeguards for persons with disabilities and vulnerable groups, as part of efforts to reduce substance abuse. A recent NACADA study revealed that alcohol is the most abused substance among university students, with 87.3 per cent consuming alcohol, followed by cigarettes at 64.4 per cent and shisha at 41.2 per cent.
The authority has intensified community engagement and collaboration with faith-based organisations to sensitise Kenyans on the dangers of substance abuse as it moves to enforce the new rules.