THE WAY FORWARD
Examine our parenting. “Children who don’t feel loved and secure are more vulnerable to peer pressure, and likely to turn to drugs for escape from feelings of emptiness, sadness or failure,” says Durban-based psychologist and former Sanca counsellor, Claire Savage. “Spend time with them, take an interest in their lives and get to know their friends. Listen to them non-judgmentally, support their strengths, and constantly tell them you love them. Above all, be a good role model – children with parents who abuse alcohol or drugs are at greater risk of addiction, seeing it as the norm for dealing with stress or socialising.”
Put pressure on government. Raise drug abuse awareness through councillors, MPs and community groups. “The state needs to come to the table, not necessarily with big grants, but with the political will to deal with the problem by enforcing entry control at our ports and borders. It also needs to cut bureaucracy at the DSD – people
get motivated to go to rehab, but first must get an ID (invariably stolen on the street), then a medical report from a hospital or GP, then they must queue again at the DSD, then wait for a bed. By which time, many are no longer prepared to go,” Petersen says. Advocate for opioid substitution therapy (OST). Currently, this is mostly available only in the private sector. “It’s the most effective intervention for people with opioid dependency,” says Dr Andrew Scheibe, who works with TB/HIV Care’s Step Up Project, which provides harm reduction services (like new needles and OST) to people who inject drugs. Methadone and other effective OST medications need to be put on the prescribed minimum benefits list for medical aids, and on the essential medicines list for maintenance therapy, Peterson says. “Currently there’s only one methadone supplier, so the cost is 10 to 20 times higher than in other middle-income countries.”
Demand clean policing. Saving Jesus shows cops clearly taking bribes from dealers, and Tremaine tells of her dealers being tipped off before raids. Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane does not produce statistics as requested, but assures TRUE LOVE that, “Police officers raid drug lords and arrest dealers, as well as runners. We’ve already achieved good successes in arresting those dealing with whoonga.” Report bribery to the National AntiCorruption Hotline 0800 701 701 or Crime Stop 08600 10111.
Weigh the case for decriminalising drugs. “Arresting people or limiting drug supply is an ineffective and non-evidence-based approach to managing substance issues,” Scheibe says. “Portugal had a major problem then decriminalised 20 years ago – drug use rates haven’t increased amongst the youth, and HIV rates have plummeted. Money spent arresting people has gone to treatment services. Countries that have continued to criminalise drug use, like the US and Russia, have enormous overdose death rates, increasing HIV and viral hepatitis epidemics and no drug use reduction.”
Above all, help destigmatise addiction. Support people who use drugs to curtail their drug use, or use drugs more safely, and reach their goals, Scheibe urges. “A harm-reduction approach seeks to meet people where they’re at, not judging their circumstances and choices. It recognises their right to access appropriate healthcare and be treated with dignity.” Birtwhistle adds: “There has to be hope for the user at the end – some way for them to completely change their life, with meaningful work. And they’ll need a life-long support structure to achieve that. We need far more holistic healing centres, and more organisations offering after-school activities to ignite passion and creativity in youth – dance studios, writing clubs, acting classes – and develop their entrepreneurial skills.”