A local church in Kikuyu Sub-County has pledged to offer free counselling services to drug addicts in its campaign against the vice in the region.
Reverend Jacob Gitau of Christ Apostles said that the church was on a mission to reach out to drug addicts to help them change their ways.
Speaking on Thursday during a function that brought together about 150 addicts, recovering addicts and rehabilitated ones, the cleric said drug and substance abuse in the area had led to a major breakdown of family and societal values.
Rev Gitau said Kiambu County has a lot of young people with potential but unfortunately, they were hooked to drugs which had rendered them unproductive.
He said it was a matter that required urgent intervention to rid the society of the menace.
The Reverend expressed concern that alcohol and bhang were the most commonly abused drugs the residents had taken to and they were easily available in the region.
“The society needs to show love and acceptance to drug addicts to help them on the road to recovery,” said Rev Gitau.
The chairman of Kikuyu Anti-Drugs Association Charles Kibe asked parents to be wary of bhang cookies being used by most teenagers.
He said the popular cookies, whose main content was bhang, were being sold while disguised to be snacks.
“Most parents might be hoodwinked by their children who take drugs right in front of them. We are appealing to parents to be extremely cautious especially of the teens who have taken into these cookies,” he said.
He noted that the teens had developed cunning methods of ingesting drugs as he had witnessed cases of teens taking drugged chapatis.
“I therefore urge parents to be very vigilant with their children during the holidays to ensure they do not fall victim to drug abuse," said Kibe.