By Rosette Nandutu,
The rate at which drug abuse is on rampage in Mbale City these days is quite alarming and it is seen in every corner of the city. Though it is not limited to the youths alone, it is more rampant among the youths.It is promoted by the high level of unemployment and school dropout. The habit is not only among the youths but also older people who tend to be the ones that teach these young ones how to use these drugs.
Some of these drug addicts are found in broad day light abusing drugs, selling the package openly on the streets while many of them have become mentally unhealthy because of the act.Among the drugs sold include marijuana,kuba, cigarettes, and some of these take in kerosene which are sometimes put in foodstuffs or consumed solely.
Latest statistics estimates indicate that about 5.5 per cent of the population aged between 15 and 40 years have used drugs at least once in the past year, while 15 per cent of the total number of persons who use drugs, suffer from drug use disorders mentally, physically, and financially.Sources where these abusers obtain the drugs, are open drug hawkers, fellow drug abusers, friends and drug pushers.
Drug abuse in Mbale City is common among street kids, school students, youths, street commercial workers, and sex workers.These drug abusers end up having health problems and committing illicit acts like rape, defilement,theft associated with pickpocketing in the corridors in the wee hours, social problems, morbidity, injuries, violence, deaths, motor vehicle accidents, homicides, suicides, physical dependence or psychological addiction.
Another cause of drug abuse among the youths is lack of attention. Some parents throw caution to the wind in matters relating to their children by denying them the needed attention who end up on streets thus having to bag such acts.Children need proper attention because there are many things going on around them that can make them go astray but if there is a strong bond between them and their parents or guardians, majority of the heinous acts and drug abuse by the youths will be minimised.
Furthermore, exposure to programmes promoting drug abuse allover the internet can also lead to drug abuse. Drug abuse can lead to a range of both short-term and long-term mental and physical health problems depending on the kind of drugs abused; there are many youths out there who are mentally and generally unstable health wise due to drug abuse.
Findings show that one of the effects of drug abuse is depression and mood problem, People who are addicted to drugs die by suicide more often than people who are not addicted.As of research, there is a high rate of violent acts among drug abusers in Mbale City due to abuse of alcohol and other drugs causing physiological distortion of the brain and social isolation.
Statistics show that in Mbale City, approximately 30 per cent of the criminal acts related to drug and alcohol abuse include child abuse, domestic violence, rape, defilement, burglaries and assaults.
To curb the increase of drug abuse in the society, it is advisable that youths and children be enlightened about the risk involved in drug use and misuse. Parents are encouraged to listen attentively to their children whenever they talk about peer pressure in order to know the necessary steps to be taken and support their efforts to resist it.Any parent who wants to stop his/her child from abusing drug must first be a good example because it has been realised that children of parents who misuse drugs are at greater risk of drug addiction.In addition, children who lack parental care and attention mostly find succour in whatever can fill the vacuum and such may end up being drug abusers. Parents are urged to pay the needed attention to their children because when there is a strong bond between them, it can reduce the child’s risk of abusing drugs.
In conclusion, those who are suffering from the effect of drug abuse should seek proper care from relevant places before it gets out of hands, because United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, 2022 report shows that around 284 million people aged 15-64 used drugs worldwide in 2020, a 26 per cent increase over the previous decade.
Globally, the report estimates that 11.2 million people worldwide were injecting drugs. Around half of this number were living with hepatitis C, 1.4 million were living with HIV, and 1.2 million were living with both.
Society is therefore not only urged to support and show love to those who are undergoing medical care to overcome drug addiction and not make them feel isolated but also emphasizes the importance of galvanizing the international community, Governments, civil society and all stakeholders to take urgent action to protect people, including by strengthening drug use prevention and treatment and by tackling illicit drug supply.
Golden Wish Foundation Uganda 