Drug addiction

Drug laws considered outdated are being reviewed in order to improve the state's response to drug and substance abuse, Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya said on Monday.

Increasing amounts of the drugs commonly known as tik and ice are being manufactured in South Africa, according to a United Nations report, the SABC reported on Wednesday.

South Africa is facing a national crisis over the ever increasing number of people - mainly youngsters - dependent on drugs and alcohol.

The school ground has become the primary place for drug sales as an increasing number of young people across the country become drug users.

Durban should brace itself for the arrival of Tik (crystal meth), a highly addictive drug plaguing the Western Cape, the Medical Research Council has warned.

Cape Town has become a popular end destination for a bouquet of powerful narcotics including cocaine, heroin and other designer drugs.

One in five South Africans suffer from a mental disorder severe enough to affect their lives significantly, the Medical Research Council has revealed. October is Mental Health Awareness Month.

AS cities and towns struggle to cope with drug abuse, a revised national drug master plan aims to intensify interventions and reduce the supply and consumption of drugs.

Nine years ago one youth in 20 in the Western Cape was taking drugs. Now the figure is one in four. This has been highlighted in a provincial Medical Research Council (MRC) survey of the prevalence of drug abuse among people younger than 20.

Provincial health departments have given their support to a national government campaign to curb alcohol consumption and raise awareness of alcohol abuse, the health ministry said on Sunday. The ministry said in a statement that at their first meeting of the year last week, Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang and the health MECs from the nine provinces - collectively known as Minmec - had endorsed the drafting of new legislation restricting alcohol advertising. The regulations will include limiting advertising times for alcoholic products and introduction of warning labels on these products. Minmec resolved to intensify the health campaign against alcohol and substance abuse as one major factor behind many health and social problems in the country. The health sector spent R600 million a year on ensuring emergency services were available to respond to incidents resulting from alcohol consumption. This excluded the resources spent on treating intentional and non-intentional injuries caused as a result of alcohol abuse, and caring for those left with permanent or temporary disabilities. The health department had already issued a tender for appropriate linguistic and non-linguistic messages that would be introduced as part of a campaign to highlight the negative effects of alcohol.(Source: SAPA, 19 January 2003)