DEC launches drive to curb drug abuse

THE Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has launched a campaign to curb high levels of drug abuse among young people especially pupils in boarding schools who are not under the care of their parents.

DEC Commissioner Alita Mbahwe said there were high levels of drug abuse among the youth and that a sensitisation exercise had been launched to engage traditional leaders, schools and other stakeholders to address the problem.

Speaking when she paid a courtesy call on acting Livingstone District Commissioner Harriet Kawina on Wednesday, Ms Mbahwe said that it was unfortunate that the commission had offices only in 33 districts throughout the country.

She said due to inadequate manpower, the commission had challenges of reaching out to far flung areas where people needed its services.

“We are visiting our officers where we have DEC offices and Southern Province is the ninth province we are visiting and from here, we are going to Western Province.

“The purpose of our visit is to check on officers and exchange notes one on one, we are discussing operational and administrative issues,” she said.

She added that on her tour, she was also emphasizing on the values of the commission and those of the civil service.

“We are also meeting and visiting chiefs so that they can be able to work with us act as bridges. We will have some trainings with them on the issue of drug abuse by our young people.

“We want to bring back the old parenting system where parents are able to discuss and interact with their children. Some children feel their parents are not caring that is why they find themselves in wrong places and abuse drugs,” Ms Mbahwe said.

Ms Kawina said that the issue of abuse of drugs was not good for the future generation of the country.

Ms Kawina said that time to act and correct the situation was now.