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Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said that some of the positive results of the government’s crackdown against drugs and substance abuse in Central Kenya are the increase in the street value of drugs such as marijuana.
Speaking during a meeting with members of county assemblies from Central Kenya in Naivasha, Nakuru County on Thursday, May 5, Gachagua said that the shortage and risk factor had impacted dealers heavily.
“I am so happy that since we started this exercise in Central Kenya region, a joint of bhang that was going at Sh100 is now going for Sh400. That is good progress.
“It is becoming unaffordable, and that is the right thing. Because the police are so heavy on bangi, the risk is so high, the dealers have increased the prices. When they sell at Sh400, the people who were affording it at Sh100 stop smoking because it is not available,” Gachagua said.
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He added that the same theory can be applied to alcohol so that manufacturers stop producing cheap alcohol, making it unavailable to those who can’t afford high-priced alcohol.
He told the MCAs to help develop laws to regulate illicit brews and clamp down on the mushrooming wines & spirits outlets.
He recalled that during his younger years as he was transitioning from high school to university, there were only two retail outlets selling liquor at Karatina market.
READ: DP Gachagua orders arrest of notorious Ruaka drug trafficker
He added that at the time, alcohol was a preserve of the wealthy and people who had achieved a level of success.
He proposed that MCAs should regulate the opening of wines & spirits outlets and increase the requirements need to open the retail outlets.
“You should at least own a car before buying alcohol at a wines & spirits shop. What business does someone walking have drinking wines & spirits?” he joked.
He urged the stakeholders, including MCAs, senators, investigative agencies, prosecutors, legal drafters, NACADA, KEBS, and Anti-Counterfeit Agency to be creative in coming up with measures to crackdown on alcohol and substance abuse.