The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada) has clarified an earlier statement seeking to ban alcohol endorsements for artists, among other directives.
In response to concerns raised by several creatives online, including musician Bien, the Authority stated, "We’re regulating access and exposure, especially where it blurs the line between lifestyle and addiction."
The former Sauti Sol member criticized the move and termed it as fake morality, citing the government’s earlier move to ban betting endorsements for creators and other artists.
“These bans affect the creative and advertising industries heavily. Pretending to care about the very youth they are killing. Then you wonder why unemployment is so rampant,” Bien wrote on his Instagram stories.
NACADA has emphasized that their intentions remain pure, noting that the youth are the primary targets of online, influencer-led alcohol marketing.
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“Let’s be clear: this is not about fake morality or censorship. It’s about public health, data-driven prevention, and protecting the same youth we all claim to care about,” NACADA wrote on X.
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The authority also laid out statistics bordering a crisis, pointing out that alcohol is the most abused substance, with first exposure starting as early as 13 years old.
“The burden of addiction is costing families, schools, and our healthcare system dearly, which is again an indisputable fact!” NACADA affirmed.
Addressing the unemployment concern, the state corporation revealed that it was collaborating with county governments and partners to create treatment jobs, prevention programs, peer mentorship roles, and youth-led media projects that shift the narrative without harming lives.
This row comes after the National Policy on the Prevention of Alcohol, Drugs and Substance Use (2025) proposed stricter measures in the control of alcohol and drug abuse in the country. Among them is raising the legal drinking age to 21 years.
Other proposed measures include banning the sale of alcohol near churches and schools, and zero tolerance for the promotion of alcohol or any other drugs.
