Drug abuse rife among youth

WITH substance abuse on the rise in the Eastern Cape, the South African National Council on Drug Dependence and Alcohol (Sanca) will roll-out awareness and anti-drug campaigns.

The campaigns will coincide with Awareness Week, which starts today.

Statistics from the United Nations world drug report in 2014 revealed that drug abuse in South Africa is twice above the global average, with the average age of drug dependency in the country being from 12 years upwards.

In an interview, Eastern Cape Sanca director Roger Weimann said there had been a rise in the number of youth abusing drugs in the province.

“Substance abuse within the Eastern Cape is bigger than people think. Illicit drugs are easily accessible, relatively inexpensive and available in every area. Drug

‘Although prevention programmes are conducted throughout the province on a regular basis, the prevalence of substance abuse continues to rise.”

Most youths are using madrax, tik (methamphetamine), crack cocaine and over-the counter and prescription medication, he said.

Ginsberg-born Mongezi Sikiti, 34, said he was first introduced to drugs in his teenage years, which led to an addiction that lasted more than 10 years.

“I began with weed. My peers were also into drugs. I didn’t know that it was opening a gateway to even bigger addictions.”

Sikiti was sharing his life-story to a group of teenagers and young people gathered at the Steve Biko Centre on Thursday for a dialogue on youth substance abuse and its impact in King William’s Town.

After admitting he was a drug addict, Sikiti sought help last year and was rehabilitated through government interventions.

The dialogue was one of the many awareness campaigns taking place this month in the province.

Poverty, unemployment, and broken family structures were identified as the most common factors that fuel substance abuse.

The province, however, remains under-resourced in providing help for battling addicts.

Currently, Sanca East London is the only such facility in central Eastern Cape, apart from a state unit at Fort England Hospital in Grahamstown.

Department of social development spokesman Mzukisi Solani said government’s rehabilitation centres included Thembelitsha Rehabilitation Centre in O R Tambo district, Sanca East London, and Shepherd’s Field, Welbedacht and a centre for under 18s in PE.

“The department is funding five private treatment centres in the province to ensure access to treatment and rehabilitation services,” he said. — nonsindisoq@dispatch.co.za