Geoffrey Mosiria, the Nairobi County Chief Officer for Environment, has revealed that the county government has launched investigations over the suspected sale of laced ice cream to students in Kilimani.
In a statement dated Friday, May 16, Mosiria detailed that a school in Kilimani has raised concerns over the conduct of students after eating ice cream sold by a vendor outside the school gate.
According to the school, the students often liked the ice cream and would appear drunk afterwards.
"The vendor has allegedly been selling ice cream to school-going children, which is suspected to be laced with addictive substances. As a result, some children have reportedly exhibited unusual behaviour such as appearing drunk, overly hyperactive, or excessively sleepy when they return home," he stated.
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Concerned by this, the school wrote to the county government, prompting Mosiria and his team to visit the stalls near the school to establish the facts.
While the vendor was not found, a bottle of ketamine was found next to the area where the ice cream is sold.
It is believed that the drug used as may have been used to lace the ice cream.
"Upon arriving at the scene, the vendor had not yet arrived, but we discovered a used bottle and packaging of Ketamine Hydrochloride Injection, a powerful anaesthetic commonly used in hospitals," he added.
"This is highly concerning, as we suspect ketamine may be one of the substances being mixed into the ice cream sold to children and other unsuspecting consumers."
Meanwhile, he called on parents to discourage students from eating ice cream from vendors who may not be licensed, even as the matter is investigated.
Ketamine is often misused as a drug in other countries, such as the US.
"Powdered ketamine is cut into lines known as bumps and snorted, or it is smoked, typically in marijuana or tobacco cigarettes. Liquid ketamine is injected or mixed into drinks," the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) notes on its website.
"Ketamine is found by itself or often in combination with amphetamine, methamphetamine, or cocaine."
