By Tafadzwa Muranganwa
A local reproductive health advocacy organisation has urged the government and parliament to reform current drug laws to curb the growing menace of drug abuse.
In a statement, Students and Youth Working on reproductive Health Action Team(SAYWHAT) there was the urgent need to ammend the current legislation that deals with procurement and use of drugs.
“The government of Zimbabwe and parliament have a duty to rigorously reform current drug laws and come up with a comprehensive legislation that govern the procurement and distribution of drugs in the country. The available Dangerous Drugs Act, Chapter 15, and The Criminal Code Chapter 9:23 section 56 was developed primarily to govern and prevent drug
trafficking and diversion of controlled drugs.
“Hence, there is need of a more focused drug legislation that allows drug abuse
survivors to seek help without fear of criminilisation and facing other penalties,”states SAYWHAT.
The organisation argues that efforts to fight HIV/AIDS may go to waste if the drug issue is not addressed.
” The fight to end HIV and AIDS may not be won with drug and substance threat currently manifesting among young people’s circles.
” Indulging in drug and substance abuse leads to reckless and un-informed health choices that leave at most the girl child at the receiving end. Unwanted pregnancies and the spread of HIV and other STIs become a common problem,”it adds.
SAYWHAT implores the Zimbabwe Republic Police to ‘ leave no stone unturned in pursuing and apprehending all suppliers of illegal drugs and substances that end up in the hands of our
children’.
According to the organisation, there is the need for a collective action to deal decisively with the scourge.
“The civil society world should equally share the burden by scaling up comprehensive drug and substance awareness campaigns in a captivating manner that attract young people.
” Civil society organizations should form partnerships with all relevant entities including the police, parliament and the government. A collective action carried out in a systematic way
will eventually make a difference,” believes SAYWHAT.
The statement by SAYWHAT follows the recent report of expulsion of 8 Dominican Convent students over allegations of drug abuse. There is also a video of a school going girl child clad in school uniform has gone viral on social media where an unidentified man is seen exchanging
what appeared to be a joint which many have speculated as a harmful drug. Another video of a boy child who passed out at an unnamed school after allegedly consuming illicit alcohol is also doing the rounds on social media.
The country is seized with the fight against drug abuse and a few years ago established the national task force to deal with the menace. However, there has been accusations ‘big boys’ are involved in trafficking and peddling drugs hence the fight has been feeble.
