According to a recent study, 46 percent of Kenyans aged between 15 and 65 currently use alcohol. The same study found that 8% of children aged 10 to 14 years have used alcohol at least once in the past.
Sam West is a motivational speaker whose main job includes visiting schools and talking to the students.
In an interview with Mpasho Sam says there are different things to blame for this among them parents openly drinking at home in the presence of their kids.
"It's a very sad story. It is affecting a lot of kids and families. Alcohol and immorality go hand in hand. It starts with one mistake that leads to another. We can blame many things among them peer pressure and societal morals.
Kenyan parents have been missing on some parenting stages. 0-5 disciplining, 5-12- Molding stage. 12-18- Coaching, 18 years plus is friendship stage."
Sam further added that some parents are to blame for their kids' drinking problem.
"Most parents are drinking so kids imitate, there is no way kids won't drink yet they see their parents drinking. Back in the day our parents didn't drink in the open hence most people started drinking as adults."
According to a study by NACADA Authority, 14 percent of Kenyans aged between 15 and 64 currently use alcohol.
The same study found that 8% of children aged 10 to 14 years have used alcohol at least once in the past (NACADA 2007).
Illicit brews seem popular among Kenyans: 2% of 10-14-year-olds have tasted chang’aa at least once in the past, while 15% of 15 - 64-year-olds have used chang'aa at least once.
According to a study by Roosa and others (1988), children of problem-drinking parents were more at risk of depression, low self-esteem, and heavy drinking than their peers in the general high school population.
Parenting practices, particularly support and control, have been linked to the development of adolescent drinking, delinquency, and other problem behaviors.
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