Defeating substance abuse requires a collective effort

The excessive use of nyaope, a common and highly addictive drug, continues to be a problem among the youth. Nyaope is a low-grade cocktail that comprises of heroin and other ingredients mixed with dagga.

According to the United Nations World Drug Report 2017 (Market Analysis of Synthetic Drugs), “…there are an estimated minimum of 190 000 premature deaths from drugs”.

A study by the Eden Recovery Centre revealed that cannabis is the dominant substance of abuse in Gauteng.

As such, more needs to be done by the Gauteng government to strengthen prevention and awareness campaigns.

The prevention and treatment of substance abuse is complex and requires an integrated approach.

We therefore must applaud the joint efforts by the Gauteng department of social development and Ekurhuleni metropolitan municipality, to convert the old Palm Ridge municipal healthcare clinic into a substance abuse community day clinic.

This partnership will see yet another substance abuse community-based day clinic being launched at Alra Park, Nigel, Ekurhuleni, tomorrow.

The Gauteng department of social development is the lead department with the responsibility to administer the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act, 2008. This act makes provision for development of programmes and the establishment, registration and management of treatment centres.

As such, the department prioritises the implementation of these interventions to reduce the harm caused by the use of drugs in the province. These interventions include the establishment of inpatient, outpatient and community-based treatment services.

Let us note that during the 2016/17 fi nancial year, the social development department reached more than 5 700 service users through 19 funded out-patient treatment centres. More than 3 800 beneficiaries received treatment through 11 in-patient substance abuse treatment centres.

We also need to highlight that in the same financial year, 20 community-based services reached 10 924 beneficiaries and the prevention programmes, including the Ke Moja prevention programme that reached more than one million beneficiaries.

Indeed, the fight against nyaope remains a challenge as more young people remain hooked, but it is everyone’s role to ensure that communities are informed on the dangers of drugs and that government treatment centres are there to offer rehabilitation and aftercare programmes.

‘ ‘ It is everyone’s role to ensure communities are informed about dangers of drugs