Drug trafficking is becoming a growing concern in Marsabit County, even among primary school students.
Hussein Arub, the Marsabit Central Education Officer, lamented the county’s significant drug and substance proliferation, which has harmed even school-age adolescents.
“We are concerned about the increasing drug and substance abuse cases among students in our schools, and if timely intervention is not provided, we fear for the devastating consequences that may be reported in this region,” Mr Arub said.
Mr. Arub revealed that even young students in Grades 6, 7, and Standard Eight had started experimenting with bhang, alcohol, and other drugs. He was speaking at a drug and substance awareness campaign organized by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) at the County Commissioner’s office.
He implied that this year, there had been more than six reports of students misusing narcotics in schools in Marsabit Central, prompting even the security agents to become involved. He also expressed concern over rising drug use rates among teenagers attending primary and secondary schools.
For example, a 13-year-old student was reportedly detained for pressuring a 17-year-old classmate to smoke marijuana while class was in session.
In a separate incident, two students in first grade were also detained for using marijuana at school. In the sub-county, two secondary schools were also forced to suspend Form Two students for engaging in drug and alcohol misuse. He ascribed the difficulties to the county’s complicated geography, which made it even more difficult for the security agents to fully combat the drug usage threat.