26 Jun 2024

 Drug abuse should be condemned universally as one of the leading factors causing disputes in families and communities, says First Lady Neo Masisi.

Giving a keynote address at the commemoration of World Drug Day in Kasane yesterday, Ms Masisi implored society to recollect the bad footprint that drugs had left in people’s lives.

“I wish to see the public taking responsibility and assess how the use of drugs or its illicit dealing has destroyed many lives to an extent that some lost their lives,” she said.

The First Lady said drug related illnesses and complications affected not just  users, but impacted on families, colleagues, school, community and nation.

She emphasised that society should embrace drug users and guide them to access controlled medicines, essential health services and rehabilitation services.

The First Lady said everyone had a role to play in raising awareness and necessary resources to drug related issues from government, community, NGOs, private sector and individuals.

She said it was imperative to invest in programmes aimed towards eliminating drug abuse and trafficking, adding that the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) was formed to fight the scourge together with other enforcement agencies.

Ms Masisi said this year’s theme: The Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention, was a call to expand research, outreach and awareness so as to deploy proper resources where needed.

The Minister of Defence and Security, Mr Kagiso Mmusi said illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and other substances reversed socio- economic gains of the country and contributed to the rise in crime.

He said his ministry was at the forefront of fighting drugs related crime with the recent formation of DEA as demonstration to fighting the scourge.

He said drugs destroyed people and depleted resources hence it was important that Batswana were trained on drug detection and whistleblowing to enforcement agencies.

Giving a drug situation in Chobe, the District Health Management Team coordinator Ms Rose Munyere said they recorded cases of persons who had reached addiction stage where drugs were no longer used out of choice but as a response to withdrawal symptoms.

She said drug patients displayed disruptive behavior from suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide, depression, personality disorders and other mental disorders.

Ms Munyere revealed that between June 2023 and June 2024, the DHMT recorded 45 cases of alcohol and substance abuse with the most affected gender being males, equaling 40.

She said in 2022 eight cases were recorded all being males while in 2023, 30 cases were recorded being 28 males and two females.

Furthermore she outlined that statistics from police on arrests of persons in possession of substances was 111 in 2021, 89 in 2022, 54 in 2023 and 15 in 2024 of which most arrests were for marijuana possession.

Ms Munyere indicated that Botswana Police Service deployed prevention and reduction strategies in Chobe by recruiting more informers, deploying officers at border posts and surprise raids on well known drug dealers.

Kasane court president, Kgosi Thuso Wasetso stated that drugs and illicit trafficking posed a threat in life, causing a strain on economic development.

He said Chobe District remained at risk of being a corridor to drug traffickers due to its location at a quad point with Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

He said it was important to raise awareness and prevent drugs from entering Chobe because once drugs infiltrated the district it would be an uphill battle to sweep them out.ENDS