The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) revealed Thursday a significant number of alcohol dispensing outlets are not compliant with the obligatory public health standards amid increased alcohol consumption in the country.
NACADA chairman Stephen Mairori revealed that preliminary reports from the countrywide surveillance activities show that many of the outlets are posing health risks to their intended clients and staff.
He said a lot of attention should be placed on the current growing alcohol and drug abuse.
He noted that the country is witnessing an increase in counterfeit and substandard alcohol drinks which is a health threat to consumers.
Mairori also raised concerns about the mushrooming of bars in residential areas, near schools and institutions of learning.
“This has been compounded by the proliferation of wines and spirits outlets which blatantly allow drinking of alcohol on site and dispensing of the same to children bellow 1& years.”
“The law is also explicit on this issue and provides for a distance of three hundred meters from nursery, primary, secondary school, or other institutions of learning for persons under the age of eighteen years or a place of worship, health facility, or a public playground or any public land or property or in a public service vehicle,” Mairori said in a statement.
He said the authority is engaging county governments, which are the legal licensing entities of bars to adopt a one-government approach in dealing with increased alcohol and drug abuse.
He reminded the bar owners to observe the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act, 2010 which stipulates that their operating hours range from 5 pm to 11 pm on weekdays and 2 pm to 11 pm on weekends and public holidays.
