By Nyasha Dube
Zvishavane District Drugs and Substance Abuse Awareness task force has raised concerns over the involvement of persons with disabilities and people with mental disorders in the drugs supply chain.
In an interview, one of the task force members Dourt Majoni said the formation of the task force is an effort to eliminate the challenge of drug abuse that has become rampant in the mining town following the COVID 19 pandemic which left many young people idle.
“The COVID 19 era brought a lot of experimental actions through idleness among the youth and those with disabilities. Unemployment among the youths is also a contributing factor,” she said.
She also expressed concerns on how persons with disabilities are being taken advantage of by drug lords.
“Parents and communities should be empowered with information on how the drug peddlers are daring to even use youths and persons with disabilities to further their business. Even those with mental health disorders are being used as conduits to distribute drugs & other dangerous substances as they are not easy to persecute,” said Majoni.
This comes at a time when drug and substance abuse among youth in Zimbabwe has become a serious problem that has reached crisis levels.
The prevalence of drug abuse among young people in Zimbabwe is high, with substances such as glue, broncleer, mangemba, cane spirit, marijuana, codeine, and crystal meth being commonly abused.
The problem is especially concerning because drug abuse has long-lasting effects on young people, including negative impacts on their physical and mental health and academic performance.
In 2017, it was reported that approximately 43% of youths in Zimbabwe were engaging in drug abuse, and this number has been increasing yearly.
The situation highlights the need for effective prevention and intervention programs to address drug abuse among young people.
In that regard, Majoni called for collective action against the problem.
“Parents need to be educated on the dangers of drugs to their children and how much they contribute to social ills. The police, development partners, and all responsible authorities should partner and also involve parents in awareness campaigns. The ministry of health should have shows in communities to highlight the effects of drug abuse. The justice department should also be revamped to include persecution of drug lords. Government should provide information on rehabilitation centres.” she said.
Substance abuse is known to have a negative impact on mental health and can lead to a range of problems, including depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders.
Meanwhile, cabinet recently set up a National Committee on the Elimination of Drug and Substance abuse. According to the Ministry of Information, the committee will be empowered to come up with systematic and sustainable responses that will ensure that society is free of drug and substance abuse.