An Investigation of the Levels of Drug Use among Secondary School Students in Kitui District, Kenya

Gone are days when it was thought that drug abuse was a Western World phenomenon. The abuse of drugs among students is not only an African issue but also a Kenyan problem. Frequent media reports in this country on drug abuse show that the vice is becoming worrying. This research was carried out in the old Kitui district which is now part of the Kitui County. The objectives of the research were to investigate the sources of drugs of abuse among secondary school students in Kitui district and to establish the factors influencing drug use in the same district. The design of the study was descriptive survey which enabled the researchers to gather information, summarize, present, and interpret for the reasons of clarification. Out of the twenty-nine (29) boys’ and girls’ boarding schools, six (06) were purposively sampled representing 20.7 %. Some twenty-five (25) form four students were randomly sampled from each school. The questionnaires were scrutinized for validity by the university supervisors, suggestions given and corrections made. For reliability purposes, the questionnaires were pilot-tested in a boys’ boarding school as well as a girls’ boarding school. Data was analyzed using frequency distributions, tables and percentages. It was established that sources of drugs included fellow students as well as structures near the schools such as shops, bars, kiosks, and villages. It was also established that students abused drugs due to stress, peer pressure, stimulation and to read for many hours to pass exams. To curb drug abuse vice, it was suggested that those buildings near schools should be demolished, guidance and counselling be done in schools, and tough measures on drug trafficking and peddling be taken among other measures.