Prevalence and Patterns of Substance abuse among secondary School Students in Ngong Sub-District of Kajiado District in Kenya

The general objective of the study was to determine the prevalence and patterns substance use and abuse among secondary school students in Ngong sub-district Kajiado District. The specific objectives were to: identify the types of drugs of abuse, establish the prevalence and patterns of substance use, determine contributing factors influencing drug abuse, identify the effects of drugs on and formulate possible preventive measures that can be used effectively in Ngong District secondary schools. The study randomly picked 6 secondary schools within the Ngong sub-District, were representative of all types of secondary schools within the sub-district. study included 240 form two and three secondary school students. The main instrument used for data collection was a modified self-administered WHO questionnaire. methods of data collection included interviews and school document analysis. The study showed that 33.7% of the respondents admitted having ever taken alcoholic beverages namely beer and spirits, 33.1% had chewed khat (miraa) while 11.7% sniffed, smoked or chewed tobacco. Drug abuse was least prevalent in girls only 32.5%. Majority of the students first used drugs at age 11-15 years 17.8%. The often administered in the company of friends and peers. Reasons for taking drugs mainly to get high 13.2% or to be accepted by friends 7.3%. Only 14.6% of the who used alcohol and other drugs indicated that their parents had knowledge about The study concluded that alcohol and other substances of abuse were prevalent secondary students in Ngong sub-district. The students get introduced to drugs substance of abuse at the onset of adolescence. Their use is reinforced by expectations of peers. The quality of the parent-adolescent relationship predisposing factor. The government faces a legal dilemma in the fight against substance of abuse because most drugs were licit and mainly used by adult students. The study recommended the schools' administration should form a strategic alliance stakeholders to carry out video-documentaries on the effects of drugs and substance with a mix of scare tactics and moral messages. Schools should also follow-through strict and interactive participation of all students in extra-curricula activities and games. The government should institute a ban on the sale of both licit and within close proximity to these second