Nkosentsha Khumalo-Reporter
For every young person in Zimbabwe, the future should be filled with possibilities and better promises, but instead, far too many are having their potential being cut short by the scourge of drug abuse.
A life that could be filled with opportunities and achievements is instead consumed by addiction. Bright minds are clouded in drugs, a promising career is derailed, and young people’s dreams are lost.
For each individual life impacted by drug abuse, a family and a community are also affected. The consequences of drug abuse are not just personal, they are they are societal, economic and political as future leaders are expected to emerge from this generation.
Drug abuse has become a cancer that is slowly killing the nation, robbing it of its most precious resource, its youth.
For many years, Zimbabwe has been grappling with the abuse of drugs like marijuana, bronchleer and alcohol, which become increasingly common, especially among young people. Now hard core drugs like, cocaine, heroin, crystal meth and a whole lot of other drugs are being abused by youths all over the country.
The scourge of drug abuse is prevalent in big cities.
This trend has been linked to a number of factors, including peer pressure, poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to education and other opportunities.
As more and more young people turn to drugs, the consequences of the country’s future are severe. Not only are individuals affected, but the whole nation is at risk.
Drug abuse among youths in Zimbabwe has reached alarming levels, with an estimated 57% of young people engaging in drug and Substance Abuse, according to a qualified Nurse, who is also a Medical Laboratory Scientist and Public Health Specialist.
Thobekile Ndlovu, who runs Grace Rehabilitation Centre, a home for Drug Addicts, said it is saddening that half of youths who are the next generation for development of the country, are continually indulging in drugs.
“The youths are our next generation for development and the health of the country, but if the country is running at a pace where 57% of the youths are drug addicts, then the future is very uncertain.”
“First and foremost, there are several types of drugs, those that affect the central nervous system and depress it. When someone’s central nervous system is depressed, they begin to do things that they would not normally do when they are in a sober sense. Some of these things include being always depressed, suicidal thoughts and impaired judgement. Those are the type of people who can remove their clothes in public.
“There are also type of drugs which stimulate the central nervous system and make someone giggle most of the time but for absolutely no reason. This kind of drug boosts confidence and makes someone roam all over the place all day long without getting tired.”
Ndlovu said incidentally, some of the effects of these drugs are permanent. She said if one takes these drugs for too long, the damage on the brain and central nervous system becomes permanent.
She added that Ingutsheni Hospital is now full and overwhelmed due to the fact that most youths are now taking drugs.
“Despite making one go mentally challenged, some of these drugs cause hallucinations, whereby the user begins to see things which are not even there. You see someone running away without being chased by anyone.”
“There is also a drug that is used to lace drinks. These are the kind of drugs mainly used by boys to forcefully lure girls into sexual activities such as three somes and four somes.”
A threesome or foursome is when one male indulges in sexual intercourse with more than three or four women at the same time or vice versa.
Ndlovu said some drug addicts also inhale glue and thinners to get high.
She mentioned that most troubled youths indulge in drugs due to other factors which include broken families with poor parenting, whereby the child suffers from stepfather syndrome or stepmother syndrome.
“Other issues involve being poor or coming from a poor background, where the youths end up being taken advantage of by drug barons and they start selling and taking drugs.”
“Some issues have nothing to do with background, but peer pressure from friends whereby the youth seeks to have a sense of belonging in a certain group. Some youths encounter low self esteem due to being talked down by their parents at home which deprives them of their meaning in life.”
Ndlovu urged parents to use all their senses in noticing these signs on children who abuse drugs, as they will be spending most of their time locked up in their bedrooms or even withdrawn from family conversations or socialising.
She also said parents must desist from spoiling their children with money, as they end up not knowing what to do with it, but instead to team up with their friends and do all sort of mischievous things.
Ndlovu said most sex parties take place in households where the parents are usually abroad or spend most of their time at work.
“At the rehabilitation home, we encounter other problems in which the client will be in denial of using drugs and so we urge parents and relatives to coerce and team up to seeking assistance for these clients.”
“We also offer detoxocation for our clients, where we get rid of all the drugs in the body. We further work with the families on counselling skills and empower our clients after their rehabilitation with skills, so that they can be able to resist temptations in the society.”
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