Abstract:
The research study is to determine the relationship between drug abuse and the major factors that lead to drug
abuse putting into consideration gender, and to ascertain if they really lead to drug abuse in the area. These
factors include; lack of awareness on the effects of drugs, poverty, unemployment, early child exposure to drugs
and other toxic substances, failure of the government agencies, peer pressure, lack of child support centers and
rehabilitation centers. The study finds how drug abuse affects social life and economic development of the
people of Kirinyaga central through which statistical induction would translate to other sub-counties in
Kirinyaga County, the objective of the study is to find the relationship between drug abuse and poverty and
unemployment among people of Kirinyaga Central. The research employ a survey design targeting all wards in
Kirinyaga central where data was collected from the residents. Stratified sampling technique was used to select
two areas for the study from each strata/ward. The sampled areas were stratified according to the size of the
population and simple random sampling was used to select 357 respondents from which the data was obtain
through questionnaires. Prior to data collection, a pilot study was conducted to ascertain the reliability and
validity of the instrumen
