The ManicaPost
Tungamirai Zimonte
Post Correspondent
President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently called for the nation to sternly deal with the unbecoming trends of destructive drugs that threaten the fate of the youth in Zimbabwe.
The call came at the right time as the nation will be joining the rest of the world in commemorating the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on 26 June.
The draft National Alcohol Policy needs to be updated without delay so that it becomes evidence-based.
We also need to implement WHO’s recommended 3 best buys which are reduced availability of alcohol, restrictions on advertising and increase in prices as tools to reduce the negative impact of alcohol in our country.
Government should take advantage of the gains made from the measures put in place to contain the Covid-19 pandemic to also deal with alcohol abuse.
Why alcohol abuse is a concern?
Alcohol is a psycho-active substance that is legal and is the most widely abused substance causing more harm to Zimbabwean society in relation to all the illicit drugs combined.
Such harms include Non Communicable Diseases (NCD’s) like cancer, injuries and death from motor vehicle crashes, violence, and harm to children.
According to a paper entitled ‘Drug Use, Abuse and Alcoholism in Zimbabwe’ published in October 2002, at least three million people in Zimbabwe were said to be alcoholics at that time. The paper projected that alcoholism would be Zimbabwe’s number one social problem by 2022 (next year).
While the exact number of drug addicts is not known, unofficially they are estimated to be between a million and 1,2 million countrywide.
Police statistics in Zimbabwe put people between ages 15 and 35 years as the major users and abusers of drugs.
Alcohol remains the most widely used substance followed by cannabis.
However, there is evidence of growing use of cocaine, heroine, Tramadol, Amphetamine Type Stimulants (Mutoriro) as well as new psychoactive substances (NPS).
Even in small amounts, alcohol reduces inhibition and impairs judgement, increasing risk of unsafe sex that could lead to transmission of HIV and other STIs, as well as unplanned pregnancy.
In Zimbabwe, this is of particular concern given the high rates of HIV transmission, teenage pregnancy and heavy drinking patterns, especially amongst young people.
According to the World Health Organisation Global Status report on alcohol harm, more than 70 percent of young males and 40 percent of females aged between 15 and 19 in Zimbabwe engage in heavy episodic drinking (binge drinking).
These are very worrying statistics considering that young people constitute about 60 percent of the Zimbabwean population.
Alcohol use is linked to inter-personal violence.
In particular, about 60 percent of women who report gender-based violence report that their abuser was drunk when they committed the crime.
Alcohol impairs judgement and coordination. This is particularly important when drinking and driving.
Sixty percent of drivers in accidents test positive for alcohol.
Africa has the highest death rates on the roads at 26,6 percent, while pedestrian and cyclist deaths constitute 44 percent.
It is estimated that 35 percent of the deaths on the roads is alcohol related.
Of concern also is the increasing supply and availability of unregulated high alcohol volume products, unlicensed outlets (shebeens) and online purchasing dial a delivery services, which makes accessing alcohol even more easier for young people below eighteen.
The President reiterated that there is need to fight against this new phenomenon of harmful substances.
◆ Tungamirai Zimonte is the coordinator for the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance in Zimbabwe.
