At an age when most teenagers are still focused on school, friendships and plans for the future, a growing number of Kenyan children are already seeking help for drug addiction, with cannabis emerging as the substance most commonly linked to treatment cases among those below 18.
New data from the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada) shows that 282 children aged below 18 received treatment for drug and substance use in the six months ending December 2025.
The figures have raised concern over the age at which young people are starting to use drugs, with Nacada reporting that initiation among children begins at about 14 years and reaches its highest level at 16.
Of those who went through treatment during the period, 189 were aged 16, while 78 were 15 and another 15 were 14.
The findings are contained in Nacada’s 23rd Biannual Report on the Status of Alcohol and Drug Abuse in the country, which was tabled in Parliament.
The authority says the growing number of adolescents turning to treatment facilities before reaching adulthood is a worrying development.
“Analysis reveals that there is an emerging and worrying trend with the growing population of adolescents accessing addiction services before the age of 18 years,” the report states.
Nacada CEO Anthony Omerikwa said the situation in schools has reached a point where it can no longer be treated as an isolated problem.
“The problem of drugs and substance abuse in our schools is a reality that can no longer be ignored,” Nacada CEO Anthony Omerikwa says.
Cannabis accounted for nearly 80 per cent of the substances involved in treatment cases among children. Alcohol was the second most common substance at 14.3 per cent, while another category accounted for 2.71 per cent.
The authority says the figures provide “undeniable evidence” of the growing challenge posed by cannabis among children and other young people.
Omerikwa said starting drug use at such an early age could have lasting effects on the lives of children.
“The trend suggests early initiation into drug use among school-going children, exposing them to adverse health, educational, social and developmental consequences,” Omerikwa says.
The report links the continued spread of drugs to established supply and distribution channels, as well as rising demand among young people.
The growing availability of cannabis is also reflected in the quantities intercepted by law enforcement agencies.
Between July and December 2025, police and other enforcement agencies recovered 21,080.3kg of cannabis across the country.
It was the largest quantity seized in a six-month period and represented a major increase from the 12,752.52kg recovered between January and June 2025.
Omerikwa said the seizures point to a market that is continuing to grow.
“The cannabis market continues to expand, with record-high cannabis seizures during the reporting period, an indication of increasing availability, trafficking and consumption,” Omerikwa says.
Illicit alcohol also remains widespread, with 3,377,384 litres seized across the country during the same six-month period.
Kakamega recorded the biggest volume at 386,916 litres, followed by Kisii with 366,936 litres and Trans Nzoia with 348,574 litres.
The concern among schoolchildren is part of a wider pattern that is also being seen in institutions of higher learning.
A 2024 Nacada study of university students found that 26.6 per cent were currently using at least one drug or substance of abuse.
This means roughly one out of every four students covered by the study was a current user.
Alcohol topped the list, with 18.6 per cent of university students reporting current use.
Cannabis was next at 10.7 per cent, while tobacco accounted for 12 per cent. Khat was used by 10.2 per cent of the students, while shisha stood at 4.6 per cent.
The study further established that one in every 14 university students uses cigarettes, while one in every 17 uses vape or electronic cigarettes.
Cannabis use was also widespread, with one in every nine students reporting use of at least one type of cannabis.
The findings also showed that some students had moved beyond commonly used substances to harder drugs.
Heroin was being used by 1.7 per cent of university students, cocaine by 1.6 per cent and methamphetamine by 1.4 per cent.
Alcohol dependence was another major concern, with Nacada estimating that 8.7 per cent of university students were struggling with alcohol addiction.
The figures from schools and universities form part of a broader national problem affecting millions of people.
Nacada’s latest national survey found that 17.5 per cent of Kenyans aged between 15 and 65 were currently using at least one drug or substance of abuse.
The figure translates to about 4.73 million people.
Alcohol remains the most widely used substance in the country, with about 3.29 million people identified as current users.
Tobacco use followed, with an estimated 2.3 million current users.
More than 1.35 million Kenyans were estimated to be addicted to alcohol, highlighting the scale of dependence beyond the school environment.
The report also estimates that 1.35 million people in the country are suffering from severe substance use disorders.
Tobacco was linked to 887,627 of these cases, while cannabis accounted for 234,855.
Drug and substance use is also present among people working in the public service.
Nacada found that 44.5 per cent of public service employees had used alcohol at some point.
Another 15.3 per cent had ever used tobacco, while 11.3 per cent had used khat and 8.2 per cent had used cannabis.
Prescription drugs were reported at 2.3 per cent, cocaine at 1.3 per cent and heroin at 1.2 per cent.
The latest findings show that the substance abuse problem cuts across age groups, with children, university students and adults all affected.
However, the increasing number of teenagers seeking help before reaching 18 has brought renewed attention to how early drug use is taking hold among young people.