The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) is set to raise Kenya’s legal drinking age from 18 to 21, in a major policy shift aimed at curbing rising alcohol and drug abuse among young people.

The proposed change is part of the 2025 National Policy on Alcohol, Drugs and Substance Abuse, approved by the Cabinet on June 24. The new policy introduces wide-ranging reforms that tighten access, control advertising, and restrict distribution channels.

“The Cabinet approved the 2025 policy to guide a coordinated and collaborative national response to the growing burden of alcohol and drug abuse,” Nacada said in a statement.

Among the far-reaching measures is a total ban on online alcohol sales, including via mobile apps and vending machines. Home deliveries of alcohol will also be outlawed, with NACADA citing concerns over minors easily ordering drinks online and receiving them discreetly.

“The online space has become a loophole. Teenagers are ordering alcohol from their phones and getting it delivered to their homes. This must stop,” the agency said.

The new regulations will also enforce strict zoning laws, barring alcohol outlets from operating within 300 meters of schools, churches, and residential estates creating designated alcohol-free zones around these sensitive locations.

In a further crackdown, celebrities will be banned from endorsing alcohol brands, while advertisements will no longer be permitted during children’s programmes, school functions, or national holidays.

“Celebrity endorsements have a big influence on young people. We are removing that pressure and glamorization,” Nacada said.

County governments, law enforcement, and local community leaders will be involved in rolling out the policy nationwide.

“This is not just a policy on paper. It is a call to action at all levels,” NACADA emphasized. “We are losing too many young people, and these reforms are necessary to save lives.”

The measures follow alarming data from NACADA, showing that around 13 percent of Kenyans aged 15 to 65, about 4.7 million people consume alcohol, with the highest usage among 18 to 24-year-olds.

Raising the legal drinking age to 21, the agency argues, will bring Kenya in line with countries like the United States, where studies show that delayed access to alcohol significantly reduces harmful drinking patterns among youth.