Angela Nothando Mlotshwa
Environment and Health Reporter
The majority of court cases these days seem to involve drug dealers if one is judging by the coverage such cases are receiving from local newspapers.
This may indicate that many entrepreneurs seem to have turned to make a living by selling illicit substances buoyed by the rise in popularity of such drugs as crystal meth (mutoriro), mbanje, and cough medicine.
This phenomenon seems to be continuing as an indication that law enforcement agencies could be overwhelmed by this avalanche of drug use and trading.
As reported today, in two of the papers, two women and a man were granted bail for dealing in Crystal methamphetamine(mutoriro).
The question that many may ask is what is crystal meth and why it has in a short time overtaken other substances to become the drug of choice for Zimbabwe youths.
The drug reportedly started appearing in Zimbabwe around 2016 and its use has been on a rise ever since.
Crystal Meth in Zimbabwe is in the form of brownish-cream grains that look like coarse salt or small hailstones.
It has a dermatological harmful effect which slowly eats the skin, severe anxiety, confusion, amnesia, psychosis, hallucinations, mood disturbances, violent behavior, insomnia, weight loss, repetitive motor activity, impaired verbal learning, and reduced motor speed and long-term effects.
It also causes irregular heartbeat l, interstitial lung disease, hepatitis from sharing needles, muscle rigidity, and tremors, in the gastrointestinal it causes death of bowel tissues, sores from compulsive akin picking, tooth loss, and a great risk of brain stroke.
“The main problem is its effect on mental well-being – getting mad is an example. But also the physical, social, and economic impacts of this drug.”, said an Obstetrician and Gynecologist Elton Sengurayi.
Nemache Mawere, a Bulawayo Psychiatrist said, ” Kurasika there chaiko, kusarara, kusanzwa nzara, kachembera face, amazing kudyika. Running mad, not having hunger, old aging face, and tooth decay are some of the symptoms”, he said.