Drug abuse among youth on record high

Rwanda will mark the International Day against Drug Trafficking amidst concerns that drug abuse, especially among the youth, is getting out of hand. The Day is marked globally on June 26. According to statistics from Kigali Health Institute, more than half the youth in the country (14-35) have consumed one or more kinds of drugs. And, Dr Yvonne Kayiteshonga, the head of mental division at Rwanda Biomedical Centre, says that one young man or woman out of every 13 is alcohol-dependent. This is cause for concern considering that figures from the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda which show that out of a total resident population of 10.5 million, the youth represent 40 per cent, and, in urban areas where the drug problem is thought to be more rampant, the youth population is recorded at 53 per cent. Police say abuse of drugs and illicit alcohol are considered to be the root causes of most violent crimes, especially gender-based violence. Cannabis, Marijuana, and a local brew commonly known as Kanyanga are among the mostly consumed illegal substances. Of late, local leaders say, such substances from neighbouring countries have found a booming market in Rwanda. These substances are relatively affordable, with some going for as little as Rwf250 a litre. According to Rwanda’s top mental health facility – Ndera Neuropsychiatric Hospital – in just four years, patients who checked into the facility with alcohol and drugs induced mental illness almost tripled. In 2009, the facility treated 440 patients with substance abuse related ailments and, by 2012, the number had risen to 1099. By press time, The New Times could not determine if the increase was a result of increased consumption or awareness of services offered by the facility. Police is constantly involved in run-ins with dealers and consumers across the country. While the Police publicly destroy any confiscated substances to raise awareness and deter any potential dealers and abuse, the forces of demand appear to be having an upper hand. Assistant Commissioner of Police Theos Badege, head, CID department, said the Police constantly come up with measures to break the supply chain and rehabilitate the addicts. Once caught indulging, the youth are enrolled in rehab centres where they are also given skills to start a meaningful life. He called on communities, schools and parents to keep close watch over their children making sure they are not lured into consumption of substances that risk destroying their future. At the national level, the international day against drug trafficking will be marked in Rubavu District. The Eastern and Western provinces have the highest cases of drug abuse in the country, according to Police figures. The two provinces border countries from where the substances are largely smuggled from. According to the Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS), any drink whose alcohol content exceeds 45 per cent is considered a banned narcotic drug. The United Nations office on drugs and crime (UNODC), estimates that every year 210 million people use illicit drugs with almost 200,000 of them dying annually.