dyton mupawaenda
Paul Pindani in CHINHOYI
THE nation is losing potential future leaders who are being decimated by drug and alcohol abuse, Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Marian Chombo, has said.
She was speaking during an interface with members of the public in the fight against Drugs and Substance Abuse and Economic Sanctions at Chinhoyi Stadium on Saturday.
“Let us join hands and fight this scourge. It is the duty of everyone to fight drug abuse.
“Fathers and mothers taking drugs is not good for our society as it causes domestic violence.
“I was in Kadoma last week where the police arrested a 17-year-old for killing his parents.
“After interrogation, it was revealed that he was under the influence of drugs. Drugs retard economic development.”
She added:
“Drugs also increase the risk of sexually transmitted diseases and rape because when one is under the influence of drugs you don’t even know what you are doing.
“Dropping out of school, due to drugs and substance abuse, is another major setback to the growth and development of our nation.”
Assistant Inspector Effort Chapoto, who represented provincial police spokesperson Inspector Ian Kohwera, said:
“As the police, our thrust is for parents to know what is a drug, the physical part of the drugs. What is crystal meth in its physical stature?
“What is mbanje, when it’s a plant, how do you identify that this is the actual or physical drug which is in possession of a child or student?
“We have seen that parents don’t know the actual drugs. So, our thrust is to teach the parents to know the physical drug, as we fight the supply of drugs to our children.”
A prison inmate, Nathan Muzirambi, who is serving jail time for theft, said drugs drove him to prison.
“I was once a victim of drug and alcohol abuse. I took drugs like crystal meth and marijuana.
“Drugs ruined my life. I thought taking drugs would get me fame in music.
“I was a menace to society.”
Online Reporter