Alcohol sometimes referred with its street name of booze is a  nervous system depressant and is used in liquid form. Types of alcohol include beer, wine and liquor. Alcohol is seen by many as a more socially acceptable drug, but that’s not to say it’s any less dangerous than other drugs.  More alcohol causes greater changes in the brain, resulting in intoxication. People who have overused alcohol may stagger, lose their coordination, and slur their speech. They will probably be confused and disoriented. Depending on the person, intoxication can make someone very friendly and talkative or very aggressive and angry. alcohol is harmful to some people, while others find it enjoyable when used in moderation.  Alcohol is an addictive substance. Repeated high volume consumption leads to reduced sensitivity to the drug effects (tolerance). Removal is accompanied by recognized withdrawal   syndrome, and a proportion of all individuals who consume alcohol become dependent. Alcohol abuse is a major factor in thousands of preventable injuries and premature deaths due to crashes, falls, suicides, fires, drowning and homicides.

Alcoholic Beverages in Kenya

Beer

this alcoholic beverage is made by fermenting a cereal (or mixture of cereals) flavored with hops. Lager beer is the most commonly produced and consumed though other types of beers are also available in the market.

Spirits

Various types of spirits are sold in the market and are regulated by the Kenya Wine Agencies Limited (KWAL) and the Kenya Bureau of Standards.

Wines

Wine is an alcoholic beverage typically made of fermented grape juice. A variety of wines are consumed in Kenya mainly from South Africa, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, Chile and America. There is also local production of wine mainly from the Naivasha area.

Chang’aa

this is an illegal liquor consumed by people who cannot afford beer or those who want to experience the effect of alcohol more quickly and at a lesser cost. It is a distilled liqour made from a variety of grains, malted millet and malted maize being the most common. Its alcoholic content ranges from 20 to 50%.

Busaa

is a traditional beer made from finger millet malt and is consumed in many parts of the country though rampant in the Western region. Palm wine (Mnazi) is consumed especially along the coastal region.

Muratina

This is an alcoholic drink made from sugarcane and sun-dried Muratina fruit. The fruit is added to a small amount of sugar-cane juice and incubated in a warm place. The fruit is removed from the juice after 24 hours and sun-dried. The fruit is then added to a barrel of sugar-cane juice which is allowed to ferment between one and four days. The final product has a sour alcoholic taste.

Banana

Banana beer is made from ripe bananas, mixed with cereal flour (often sorghum flour) and fermented to an orange, alcoholic beverage. It is sweet and slightly hazy with a shelf life of several days under correct storage conditions. Urwaga banana beer is made from bananas and sorghum or millet.