About 10 different types of drugs were identified on International Day Against drug Abuse and Trafficking as racking havoc in Alex.
This was said at the commemoration event at East Bank Hall to residents who identified some of the names from the current in vogue nyaope to Ecstasy, rock, GHB, Cat, flakka, Mandrax, ndanda and cocaine. The abuse was said to derive from the free-flowing supply of most of them from shameless dealers said to lead lavish lives from the proceeds without regard to the well-being of particularly youthful users and future citizens.
Nompumelelo Tlou of Sanca said most worrying was that some of the drugs initially manufactured for medicinal and health use have been converted to addictions for their stimulant and depressant effects. “They were historically manufactured to promote the healing and treatment of among others, sleeping and over-active disorders and gum diseases.
“But, are now abused, including some acquired over the counter, resulting in serious mental ailments – bipolar and other psychosis.”
This she said results in drug abuse institutions having to treat many different symptoms of abuse as part of their work of ensuring ‘health for justice and justice for health’. She cited horrific side effects of nyaope as nibbling on unhealthy foods or vomiting after consumption, failure to urinate or empty their bowels for months and other drugs causing them not to sleep and raid homes for items to sell for money to buy the drugs.
“Besides the general body’s ill health, the side effects also include spiritual and social wellness of affected families.”
Those addicted, she said, require help as in- and outpatients at rehabilitation centres coupled with counselling support for them and their families. “It’s important for the services which include detoxification and dealing with the causes of the cravings to be holistic to support their transition back into normal lives.
“They and their families also need after-care support to help prevent against possible relapse.”
Tlou advised those struggling with getting addicted relatives to the centres to use the police and the courts and to guard against fraudsters who charge to take the addicts to the centres. “Our services including transport are for free and include awareness campaigns at schools to deal with, among others, peer pressure issues. Constable Bongani Mbalati of Alexandra Police Station urged residents to help curb the scourge of drugs by reporting to the police, the drug dealers who he said also engaged in trafficking of children for prostitution to further their selfish trade.
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