Assessment of Psychoactive Drugs and Analysis of Alcoholbased Hand Rub Sanitizers Abused in Secondary Schools in Kiambu County, Kenya
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Date
2025-02
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Kenyatta University
Abstract
The main challenge affecting our young adult globally today particularly those in secondary
schools and higher institutes of learning is substance abuse. This is a perilous threat with
prejudicious effects on people‟s social economic status. In Kenya, the government has put in
place bodies example the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug
Abuse (NACADA) which sensitize the public on matters of drug abuse, provide preventive
education, and psycho-social support. Majority of youth continue to abuse drugs such as
alcohol, bhang, kuber, tobacco among others. On the other hand, due to global Covid-19
pandemic preventive measures, alcohol- based hand rub sanitizer (ABHRS) became a
household commodity being used everywhere and has a potential of being abused. The
objective of the study was to assess emerging drugs and psychoactive substances abused in
selected secondary schools in Kiambu county and carry out chemical analysis of ABHRS
samples obtained from the schools. Two different structured questionnaires and attenuated
total reflectance- fourier trans form infrared (ATR- FTIR) instrument were used in this
study. Informed consent was first signed and a structured questionnaire administered to
principals and guidance and counselling teachers of sampled schools to gather qualitative
and quantitative data. Twelve (12) different brands of alcohol-based hand rub sanitizers
were obtained from different schools as remitted sample collected from students by
administration during frisking. Other twelve (12) ABHRS of same brand as obtained from
schools were bought from local shops / supermarkets as controls. Samples and standards
were analysed in triplicates using ATR- FTIR. The data from questionnaires was analysed
and presented using descriptive statistics, while that from ATR-FTIR was statistically
analysed and tabulated. Substances and drugs of abuse commonly found in schools include
alcohol, antidepressants, cannabis, codeine, kuber, sanitizers, inhalants and khat among
others which had coded names understood only to those involved. Alcohol-based hand rub
sanitizers (ABHRS) were the most common psychoactive legal substance being used in all
sampled schools. Other psychoactive substances that were found being abused in schools
include codeine and inhalants with popularity of 20 % and 8 % respectively. The ABHRS
were found to contain significant concentration of either isopropyl alcohol or ethanol and
low amount of denatonium benzoate or methanol. The percentage level of ethanol in the
samples ranged from 3.369±1.000 to 79.295±0.615. Isopropyl alcohol was present in only 2
samples with percentage levels of 53.605±2.494 and 72.686±0.424. The percentage
concentration of methanol was found to range from 0.035±0.005 to 24.140±0.012 while
denatonium benzoate was found in only three samples with percentage levels ranging
between 0.040±0.020 and 0.049±0.020. The results of this study will be availed to relevant
authorities and will also be used to sensitize the public.
Description
A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree Of Master of Science in the School of Pure and Applied Sciences of Kenyatta University, February 2025.
Supervisor
1. Ruth N. Wanjau
2. Nicholas K. Gikonyo