The effects associated with drug abuse are not only related to health, but cut across the sectors of education, economy, security and social impacts, according to various officials.

They said this during the launch of a nationwide campaign against drug abuse among the youth, which took place on Tuesday, June 7 in Kayonza District.

Dr. Tharcisse Mpunga, the State Minister in charge of Primary Healthcare in the Ministry of Health reiterated some of the effects of drug abuse in the society. 

"Drugs destroy people’s lives; they lead to family conflicts, murder, robbery and can totally destroy the Rwandan society, that is why it is among the most challenging vices and combatting it also requires more efforts,” said Mpunga.

He added the main weapon to combat drug abuse is through fighting misinformation, giving an example of a fallacy that is most prevalent among students that drug consumption can lead to a better performance in class.  

John Bosco Nyemazi, the Mayor of Kayonza District also echoed the minister’s views that the revolving effects of drug abuse are affecting all sectors of the economy, and called for a multisector approach to curtail the vice.

"The drugs affect people’s lives, education, and economic aspirations. That is why combatting the vice also requires different sectors working together; government, civil society and the private sector at large,” he said.

Kayonza district often registers high number of drug trafficking cases as it borders the neighboring Tanzania where some of these drugs are smuggled from.

In the last five months, 70 people were arrested for drug trafficking in Kayonza alone, and among the suspects are youths who are below 20.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Innocent Kalinimihigo, the Regional Police Commander in the Eastern Province also said most of the crimes they register are a result of drug abuse.

"Most of the rapists commit the offense while intoxicated with drugs, majority of road accidents are a result of drinking and driving and family conflicts are driven up when one member of the couple has engaged in excessive alcoholism,” he said.

The Ministry of Health is developing a curriculum to tackle drug abuse among youths, setting up local task forces to fight drug abuse and laws are being reformed to tackle drug abuse.