DESPITE measures implemented by both the Government and various stakeholders in the fight against drug and substance abuse, cases continue to increase, especially among youths.
In October 2023, the Government set up an inter-ministerial committee to address drug and substance abuse issues. The argument was that this cancer was ravaging the population’s most productive age group.
The establishment of an inter-ministerial committee was an acknowledgement of the magnitude of the problem, as more than half of the youths, nationwide, are reportedly experimenting with or already using drugs.
One of the responses from the Government has been to scale up rehabilitation centres, while tightening up laws that are designed to counter drug dealing.
However, nearly 18 months since setting up the inter-ministerial committee, there should be a discernible reduction in the number of drug and substance abuse cases. The reality defies all the measures and resources put in place to fight the social problem.
The laws tackling drug dealing may be tightened up and more rehabilitation centres established, but if the cases remain high, clearly it means there is something the matter.
An intention to establish more rehabilitation centres suggests accommodating the problem. What, in fact, is required, is effectively dealing with the supply and the demand side of the problem. Rehabilitation centres and having them staffed require more resources, which the Government clearly does not have at its disposal.
If nearly 18 months down the line there is no substantial evidence that the scourge is being banished from our midst that would suggest a misalignment of the solution to the problem. Policing the problem and implementing measures to uproot the problem could be the missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle.
In South American countries, where the scourge is on a much wider scale, governments have responded by setting up specialised units that deal with the supply and demand chains of the drugs problem.
In April last year (2024) Cabinet approved the Zimbabwe Multi-Sectoral Drug and Substance Abuse Plan 2024-2030 that outlines a comprehensive strategic approach to address the escalating threat of drug and substance abuse to public health, economic growth, national security, and social stability in Zimbabwe, with the decentralisation of the Drug and Narcotics Department being speeded up.
Cabinet approved the review and updating of fine structure and directed that suppliers must be prosecuted through the courts and not through spot fines.
Cabinet also approved the Principles for the enactment of the Zimbabwe Drug and Substance Agency Bill, 2024 that paves way for the establishment of an additional Security Service and specialised Drug and Substance Elimination Agency/National Drug Agency. This Agency will be responsible for the enforcement of laws that deal with drug and substance trafficking, use and abuse as well as co-ordinating efforts of other support services.
Perhaps what needs speeding up is operationalisation of the security service so that it smashes, effectively the supply side of drugs because the prevalence of drugs and substance abuse is a threat to economic development, social, health and well-being, public order and security. While much has been done to raise public awareness to the problem, law enforcement agencies need to show that they act expeditiously on information given to them by the public, because drug lords, dealers and peddlers do not operate in isolation. They are part of the community, which community is aware of the bases of the drug lords.
Successes registered in busting bases and convictions will encourage the community to continue reporting on the supply chains. The advent of drone technology, accompanied by use of sniffer dogs, can contribute significantly to eliminating the scourge of drugs.
Once the suppliers are eliminated, there will be less need of setting up rehabilitation centres. Zimbabwe can learn from countries in Asia and the Far East on how they have been and are dealing with the problem.
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