The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) and other stakeholders involved in the war on drug abuse have been challenged to step up efforts in the war.

According to Mombasa youth leader, Evans Momanyi many youths in the country especially at the Coast are still suffering from the menace.

"The efforts put towards fighting this vice in our society are still not enough, we are everyday seeing more youths getting into drugs" said Momanyi.

Adding " It is high time all stakeholders come together and step up the efforts or else we will still be complaining everyday that our youth are destroying their future. we also need to address the source of these drugs."

Momanyi called for more civic education urging parents to also take the responsibility of good upbringing to their children.

"As parents we must be readyy to talk to our children. our county governments must also initiate programs that are geared towards preventing this vice,we will have nowhere to go if we as a society if we do not address this ." he charged.

Early this year during  the Illicit Alcohol And Drug Eradication Conference in Mombasa, Nacada Coast regional manager George Karisa said that, according to their research, drug use starts at a young age of 10 years.

Karisa revealed that the Coast region has really been affected and that at least 13,000 people use heroin adding that 29.3 per cent of people are using different drugs, including alcohol.

According to statistics from NACADA Mombasa leads in hard drugs and substance usage, bhang and prescription drugs that people are using without doctors advice.

At least 18,000 people are using injectable drug users.