Alvina Chibhamu - International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

 26 June 2021

Drug abuse is life-threatening and the most problematic cause of death in the world. It impacts millions and need to be treated carefully to prevent further harm coming to people and steer them to lead a better life. As we commemorate World Drug Day, this year‘s theme is #ShareFactsOnDrugs to #SaveLives, focusing on the importance of awareness of the effects on drugs and the dangers thereof, how to prevent, treat and care for people with substance abuse.

Where progressive countries’ governments are doing something- putting measures to curb drug and substance abuse such as prohibition fares, webinars organised by the police, drug abuse talks from experts, counselling for people and young adults in addiction centres in a bid to ensure a sound rehabilitation of people suffering from substance abuse. In Zimbabwe however, the police and securty agents are complicit. They are the chielf perpetrators of corruption, receiving bribes from drug lords and drug rings not to arrest them, a sad state of affairs. Zimbabwe’s economic crisis, along with the Covid19 pandemic, has exacerbated the drug abuse epidemic as people have lost their will to live, as long as Zanu-PF government in still in place. This very government, supposed to look out for its people are responsible for looting funds meant for their welfare, to repair the nearly non-existent healthcare system. Consequently, the increased drug and substance abuse causes a rise in social problem in most cities, with the youth milling the streets, high teenage pregnancy, increased exposure to HIV?AIDS, addicts indulging their drug habit by engaging in petty crime.

Covid-19 pandemic saw an increase in the number of drug use as people struggled to cope in the lockdown. People who previously used drugs and those with drug-use disorders were particularly vulnerable. The combination of the two caused an accelerated shift in the pre-existing trafficking dynamics across the whole global drug market. During the Covid-19 pandemic however, the increased prominence of technology helped with innovations developing new ways to treat people with drug-use disorders. But many people from low-income countries, particularly in Africa, do not have access to controlled medicine. We must forge for greater international co-operation, let us all continue bridging the digital divide to extend the benefits of technology to all.

The abuse of drugs and illicit trafficking is a huge loophole in the systems of many countries, many lives have been lost and or destroyed because of it. We need to work on bridging the gap between what is happening now and provision of a global ‘health for all’. Let us all play a role in overcoming the “World Drug” problem by educating the youth about the potential health risks of drug use and raising awareness -know the facts and be in good stead to :

#SayNoToDrugs

#ShareFactsOnDrugs

#SaveLives

#WDD2021

 Author: Alvina Chibhamu is a human rights activist and the Secretary of Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe’s UK Chapter. She is based in the United Kingdom and can be contacted by email on alvina80@yahoo.com