Why it Happens

Drug and substance abuse is rooted in social inequality, psychological distress, and normalized harmful behavior. It is worsened by poverty, unemployment, trauma, peer influence, and poor access to mental health care. Causes differ across communities, appearing differently across regions, age groups, and social settings.

Gender Inequality

Gender inequality means that boys and young men may be denied their rights, emotional support, and protection because of harmful masculine stereotypes and limited societal expectations.

Drug and substance abuse is one expression of this inequality. Patriarchal systems ; that is, systems that are controlled by men  who idealize toughness and emotional suppression for boys lead to risky behaviors and silent suffering. This can mean ignoring signs of distress, discouraging boys from seeking help, and promoting harmful notions of strength.

It can also criminalize emotional vulnerability and block their access to counselling, health care, and mentorship.

In many places, boys who express emotions or avoid risky activities are mocked, or seen as weak. In such circumstances, parents may overlook boys’ struggles, and boys may turn to drugs or alcohol to cope, fit in, or assert their masculinity.

Social Norms and Practices

Social norms are informal rules of behaviour in a group. People follow them to show they are members of the group, because of social pressure or coercion by power holders, or because it’s what they’ve always done.[1]

Social norms can be gendered and encourage substance use among boys and young men as a way to gain respect, independence, or escape stress. Drug and alcohol use becomes normalised in families, schools, and peer groups.

In many contexts, youth adopt these habits from older siblings or adults, seeing them as a rite of passage. The pressure to conform can be overwhelming.

Harmful practices can be reinforced by pop culture. Music, movies, and social media may glamorise drug use, hiding the risks and consequences [2]. In some communities, the open use of substances like alcohol or khat blurs the line between occasional use and addiction.

Over time, these behaviours become embedded in daily life. Families and communities may stop seeing drug use as harmful, even when it causes harm. These social norms help keep the cycle of drug abuse going.

Poverty

Nearly 30% of young people in Kenya aged 15–24 have used drugs or alcohol, showing how serious and widespread the issue is today [3].

In contexts of acute poverty, families  and sometimes boys themselves  see drugs as a way to escape reality or earn money.

This idea is reinforced by societal norms that ignore or devalue the struggles of low-income youth.

Because boys from poor households have less access to education, recreation, and healthcare, they are often more vulnerable. They may see drug use as their only outlet.

Boys are most affected by poverty-driven drug use because:

  • They lack access to guidance, protection, and health care.

  • They have few role models or structured activities.

  • Drugs become a coping mechanism for trauma and hunger.

  • They are more likely to be recruited into drug networks.

  • Parents under stress may lack time or capacity to supervise them.

  • Youth may sell or transport drugs to support themselves or their families.

Insecurity

Uasin Gishu County has one of the highest youth substance abuse rates in Kenya. A 2022 NACADA report revealed that 66.1% of youth in urban centres had used drugs or alcohol at least once, with tobacco (20%) and alcohol (17.5%) being the most commonly used substances even among primary school pupils [4].

The prevalence of drug abuse increases during crises, with spikes reported in areas affected by conflict, displacement, or social unrest.

Crises caused by violence, political instability, or natural hazards worsen the factors that drive drug abuse. This is because:

  • Families lose economic stability and structure.

  • Parents may be absent, displaced, or overwhelmed.

  • Children and teens use substances to cope with trauma or abuse.

  • Displacement breaks down protective networks, increasing peer pressure and risky behaviours.

  • Drug use may be used to survive dangerous environments or earn money.

  • Education is disrupted, and schools may be unsafe or inaccessible.

  • In urban slums, the lack of security and safe spaces exposes youth to drugs and criminal networks.

Sources

[1] Petit, V. and Zalk, T. N., “Everybody wants to belong: A practical guide to tackling and leveraging social norms in behaviour change programming,” PENN SoNG and UNICEF, 2019.

[2] NACADA, National Survey on the Status of Drugs and Substance Use in Kenya, 2022.

[3] UNODC, Drug Use in Kenya: A Country Situation Summary, 2023.

[4] NACADA, Rapid Situation Assessment of the Status of Drug and Substance Abuse in Kenya, 2022.