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Youth owe Kenya peaceful election, free from drug abuse

Tuesday, July 26th, 2022 04:03 | By
Youth engage in post-election skirmishes. Kenya suffered its worst ethnic violence after the disputed 2007 election. PD/file
Youth engage in post-election skirmishes. Kenya suffered its worst ethnic violence after the disputed 2007 election. PD/file

Its political high season in Kenya and the youth are being endeared by all political formations with a view to win over their support. The youth are mainly the ones attending rallies and directly involved in political activity in this country. But in that whole mix lies the allure of drug abuse so as to not only cash in on the political spending, but also remain indefatigable throughout the period since it is short-lived.

Truth be told, a drugged youth means an unstable electioneering period plagued by violence and other forms of civil disorder. In the long run the drugged youth may not even participate in the voting process evidently because of the effect of drugs.

Youths are at the top of the pecking order when political mobilization of gangs for political expediency begins due to their agility and other pre-disposing factors. Research has clearly pointed out that drugs trigger violent behavior in their users. At an individual level, violence by a young person may be sparked by events in their lives, such as mistreatment or detention by the police; loss of a job or failure to find one; rejection by a peer, partner, or family member; substance abuse; or emotional trauma. At a group level, the decision to engage in violence can be sparked by public events: acts that citizens view as coerced or accomplished by fraud and deceit of public officials, public denigration of an ethnic or religious group, abuse by security forces, policy changes, or economic crises.

Politics in general tend to be a source of stress, anxiety, and tension for many people. Shortly after the 2016 presidential election, a poll found that 57% of Americans cited the then political climate in the United States as a somewhat or significant source of stress.

Stress can be a big contributing factor to the development of substance use disorders. Study after study shows that those exposed to high levels of stress are more likely to abuse alcohol, do drugs, or relapse if they already completed a medical detox program and are now sober.

In an attempt to escape the 2022 election stress, some people may be turning to drugs or alcohol for help. Not to mention the fact that if their chosen candidate doesn’t win, coping with the loss may make these substances even more tempting.

In some cases, drinking during the election season is even seen as trendy. The internet is filled with a variety of election drinking meets for debates and election night. While these games are meant to be in good fun, they may have more devastating results than many people realise and could exacerbate the relationship between elections and substance abuse. For people already struggling with their alcohol consumption, this correlation may be dangerous. They may use these election drinking games as an excuse for their alcohol abuse, and it could push their drinking over the edge.

A strong community infrastructure can serve as a protective factor. Communities can generate activities for youth that offer opportunities to make decisions and share responsibility, helping them to increase their skills and self-confidence as well as contribute to the community.

Structures within communities, such as faith-based organizations, help build youth resilience by giving them a sense of identity and belonging as well as a place to grow and practice adult skills such as leadership.

— The writer is manager, Corporate Communications at the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse

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