Mututho Wants Alcoblow Introduced In Schools

Mututho said that the cases of alcohol abuse at schools are as high as 83% in some parts the country. The NACADA chairman says many students engaged in alcohol and substance abuse are not detected by parents.  The NACADA chairman has raised an alarm about the widespread prevalence of the problem. He says the best way to deal with the problem is through the use of breathalyzers which have a capacity of detecting up to 16 substances.

Mututho says investigations have shown that students usually abuse drugs in places where they are least supervised including the time spent on their way home and while out during weekends.

NACADA reported that 62.9% of students were abusing miraa whereas 58.1% were abusing cigarettes.

The process of rolling out the schools breathalyzer programme is expected to begin this month as the  NACADA board has already passed a budget for the same about eight months ago and ordered for the equipment.

Mututho recently blamed teachers and the management of schools for what he termed as their failure to guide and counsel students on the dangers of drug abuse.

The body also aims at strengthening guidance and counseling departments in schools in order to help the institutions curb the drug abuse menace in schools.

By Rehema Juma.