NACADA chairman, John Mututho now wants drug and alcohol addicts held in police custody released.
Mututho has argued that offenders who were addicts were “sick” and needed rehabilitation.
“Holding them in such condition is what has contributed greatly to the increased cases of people dying from drug withdrawal symptoms,” said Mututho
He lamented that many addicts had died in the police custody following their arrest.
“Police should desist from jailing addicts. It is like going to Kenyatta National Hospital and handcuffing the people there. The government should understand that this people are sick and need urgent treatment just like any other person,” he added
He cited that they would use the addicts to track down the distributors of the drugs.
“They are willing to take us to the place where they buy the drugs which would enable us to curb the drug trafficking,” he added
He was speaking to the press in Nakuru on Wednesday where he also urged the government to issue death sentences to any person found peddling drugs.
“It’s not enough to confiscate their property. The only way to ensure that they do not carry out the activities any more is to hang them,” he added