There is a shockingly high increase in Drug abuse in South Africa amongst teens as well as professionals, and sadly even the amount of attorneys, accountants as well as architects being treated for drug addiction have been reported to have increased.
The average age of drug users used to be between twenty and thirty years old. Today the ages range between eleven up to fifty five years of age. And the most common hard drugs being used in South Africa is crack, cocaine as well as heroin. Many cocaine users consume alcohol in an attempt to conceal the effects cocaine has on them.
Recent studies have shown that heroin drug abuse amongst youth, in South Africa has increased drastically over the past three years, up to an alarming 40 percentage, and has become a huge cause for concern above all other drugs especially due to the fact that by sharing heroin needles, the users are spreading the HIV virus at an alarming rate. It has been reported that heroin usage in Cape Town now exceeds any other city’s usage in South Africa with heroin addicts as young as eleven years old; it is therefore not surprising that Cape Town is known to be the drug capital of the country.
Pretoria is the second largest drug capital in South Africa. Unlike Cape Town, however, where heroin is the overall drug of choice, cocaine seems to be the preferred drug used in Pretoria. Even the use of crystallized cocaine increased so significantly that it has now become a fashion and is even available in some restaurants in South Africa over the counter at very affordable rates.
An even more shocking fact according to June 2002 statistics is that up to eighty percent of Madrax use occurs in South Africa alone and the circulation of dagga in South Africa is the second highest globally. Besides the circulation of drugs within the country, South Africa is also being used as a transportation route for all drug smugglers due to the meagre control over illegal drug trafficking in all of the African Republics.
South Africa has risen to become one of the world’s leaders in drug-related addictions. This is exceptionally worrying since the youth are getting caught up in the vicious cycles of addiction. There are many reasons for this, including societal issues like unemployment and lack of education, to domestic issues like lack of parental supervision, alcoholism and overcrowding in the home.
These are all of the aspects that contribute to the use of drugs among South Africans. The fact that there is such a free-flowing supply of drugs is also not helping in the least.
South Africa has also now become the gateway to Africa for many drug cartels. Many of the drugs that enter Africa do so from South Africa. It is a sad indication of our society that drugs are ruining the lives of so many young people, even before their lives have truly begun. The youth have no future while addicted to drugs, and won’t be able to concentrate on their education and careers, and starting a family and living a fiscally responsible life, all because of the destructive powers of addiction.
It is for this reason that South Africa needs to have a conversation about stopping the free flow of drugs in the country. It starts with all of us. We need to say no to drugs and say no to drug dealers and work as hard as possible to rip our children out of the hands of drug addiction.
After Cape Town, Pretoria is South Africa’s second largest capital for drug users. However, Pretoria’s drug of choice seems to be cocaine and not heroin. Crystal meth has become very fashionable in the country and is even available at certain restaurants and over the counter at very competitive rates.
Reports have also surfaced that dagga use is the second highest globally in South Africa.
With these alarming statistics, it is best to keep away from taking drugs in the first place. This will avoid you having to deal with the addiction and subsequent recovery trauma. Just steer clear and say no to drugs.
