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Alcohol is the most commonly abused substance in Kenya and poses the greatest harm to Kenyans. The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse( NACADA) survey in 2012 show that 13.3 per cent of Kenyans are currently using alcohol, compared to the 9.1 percent using tobacco and 1.0 percent using bhang. More men than women, shows the report, use intoxicating substances
In 2012, about 3.3 million deaths (5.9 percent) of all global deaths were attributable to alcohol consumption, according to the World Health Organisation 2014 status report on alcohol and health. In Kenya, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) reports that an estimated 3,000 deaths from road accidents occur annually. NTSA further reports that most of these fatal road traffic crashes occur between 5pm and 10pm (the peak being 10pm) and some of the reasons include drunken driving, drunken riding and drunken walking. Based on days of the week, the highest fatalities occur on Saturday followed by Sunday and again, some of the probable causes are related to alcohol.
WHAT INCREASES YOUR CHANCES OF BEING ALCOHOLIC? Risk factors for alcohol dependence 1. Age –the earlier you start drinking, the greater the risk of becoming addicted 2. Mental health problems such as depression and anxiety 4. Environmental factors – if your friends drink, you're likely to also start drinking and if you live in a culture where alcohol is common and isn't frowned upon, your chances are heightened.
5. Family history. You're more likely to become dependent on alcohol if you have a parent or close relative who is an alcoholic. But just because you have a genetic predisposition towards alcoholism doesn't necessarily mean you'll become one. "Alcoholism certainly has a genetic basis in some people. Some people have a predisposition for any kind of drug abuse. They all follow relatively similar neurological patterns, "explains Anup Devani, a molecular biologist and laboratory director at GeneMetrics.
6. Your personality can also be a contributing factor: "If for example you're shy or introverted and alcohol helps you come out of your shell, this may put you at a risk for more and more usage," says Dr. Francisca Ongecha, a lecturer at Kenyatta University's Department of Medicine, Therapeutics, Dermatology and Psychiatry.
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