A drug policy and strategy for Namibia
Abstract
Drug abuse has become a world-wide social problem, and many lives are destroyed because of this phenomenon. Trade in both legal and illegal drugs has become an extraordinary profitable endeavour, and with more merchants in the field, many more people are influenced to use drugs. As in other African countries, drug abuse in Namibia has also reached alarming proportions. All the social indicators that contribute favourably towards the increase in drug abuse, -are operative in Namibia: unemployment, crime, poverty and inadequate
housing. Furthermore, Namibia has became a transit route for the trafficking of hard drugs, which means, from the experience of other countries, that a local market for hard drugs will be created soon. In this study, drugs are classified in three major categories in terms of the primary effect they have on the central nervous system: depressants, stimulants and hallucinogens. The causes of drug abuse, as explained in the literature, can be
summarised as follows: it is being used to change the way people feel ; people are influenced by others to abuse drugs; family and background influences play a role; and personality determinants increase the likelihood of drug abuse. Drug abuse has a detrimental effect on the physical and psychological health of the individual, as well as on the family, the workplace and the school. It is also associated with crime and criminal behaviour, and the illegal drug trade poses a threat to the security and integrity of nations and regions. The reduction in the supply of drugs is induced by the drug enforcement agency of a country, who persecutes people possessing or trading in drugs which are listed as illegal or controlled. The reduction in the demand for drugs is brought about by basically two strategies: by prevention programmes at schools, workplaces and community clinics, and by treatment programmes, which may or may not involve medical treatment, and which may either be offered on an in-patient or out-patient basis. A comprehensive policy and strategy for the combating of drug abuse in Namibia was not compiled yet at the time when this research began. In the course of the project, the researcher became knowledgeable about the recommendations of the 1987 International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (ICDAIT;, known as the "Comprehensive Multidisciplinary
Outline of Future Activities relevant to the Problems of Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking" (CMO) . These recommendations were accepted as the United Nations' blueprint for strategies to combat drug abuse, and they are considered as guidelines for bringing Namibia, as a member state of the United Nations, in line with international drug policy. The mentioned recommendations cover the basic strategies in the combating of drug abuse, namely the prevention and reduction of the illicit demand for narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, the control of supply, the suppression of illicit trafficking, and the treatment and rehabilitation of drug dependent people. In order to apply the CMO recommendations to Namibia as a developing country, the nature and extent of drug abuse amongst Namibians in the developing neighbourhoods had to be determined first. This was investigated by means of a survey questionnaire which was completed in three hundred (300) households, covering the father, the mother, a 12 or 13 year old child, and a 14 to 16 year old child in each of these households. In total, the survey covered one thousand two hundred (1200) respondents. An experience survey with ten (10) community leaders and with seven (7) experts in the field of drug abuse, was also launched, and case studies of ten (10) drug dependent people in the community were done in order to provide supplementary information for describing the local drug abuse situation thoroughly. The empirical study was launched between June and December 1991. Alcohol and dagga caused the greatest concern to the community. However, both the parents and the children in this survey possessed very limited knowledge about drugs in general. The majority of the adults felt that the drug dependent person alone was to be blamed for his condition, while the school children displayed a greater acceptance towards the drug abuser, blaming
socio-emotional factors such as peer pressure and the change of feelings which the use of drugs brings about.
The majority of respondents in the community were actually not in favour of alcohol use, and most of the children also did not approve of smoking. It seems that only the people who use dagga wish this drug to be legalised. Furthermore, the greatest disadvantage of drug abuse was said to be its harmfulness to the body, and the majority of the community could not identify a specific advantage. However, it came out clearly that the community viewed drug abuse as a way of solving problems, in other words, when someone experiences problems, his drug abuse is excused. Nicotene is the drug which is abused by most of the adults (42% use it daily). Alcohol follows in the second place (9,5% use it daily), while traditional brews are placed third (5,5% daily users), dagga fourth (3,3% daily users) and analgesics fifth (3% daily users). Among the school children, alcohol is the most frequently abused drug (19,8% users, of whom 12,3% drink alcohol over weekends, and 1 % on a daily basis) . Alcohol is followed by nicotene in the second place as a drug of abuse (16,8% of the school children smoke tobacco, and 13,2% smoke it daily). Dagga follows in the third place (used by 7% of the school children) , then traditional brews (5,3%) and mandrax (3,8%) in the fourth and fifth places respectively. lnhalents are placed sixth, with an estimated 3% of the school children using these substances. The mentioned extent of drug usage in Namibia amongst both the adults and school children, is identified as indicative of a major social problem in this research project. Alcohol is the most preferred drug among both the adults and the school children. Tobacco follows in the second place. The third largest number of drug users amongst the adults interviewed prefer traditional brews, while dagga is the third most preferred drug for the school children.
However, the drug user's available funds determine, to a large extent, the type of drug used, as well as the frequency of use (and abuse) . For instance, traditional brews are taken by some people of the lower-income group when they lack the money to buy wine, beer, or spirits. Peculiar about the drug abuse patterns in Namibia is the fact that it occurs mostly over weekends. Even the younger generation follows the same pattern.
After the nature and extent of drug abuse in Namibia had been determined, the CMO recommendations were considered in terms of the realities of the drug situation in the country, and according to the opinions of the community regarding drug abuse control, prevention and treatment. A proposal was prepared which includes governmental and non-governmental organisations, as well as new and existing structures, to be involved in the combating of drug abuse in Namibia. This blueprint is referred to as A Drug Policy and Strategy for Namibia.
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