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WE are alarmed by reports of rampant drug abuse on the streets of Bulawayo and call on authorities to nip the emerging problem in the bud before it gets out of control. Our sister paper Sunday News reported yesterday that there was widespread abuse of dangerous drugs by mainly youths with some of the narcotics said to be fatal if heavier doses are consumed. According to the paper, a highly addictive concoction of anti-retroviral drugs, mandrax and rat poison — Nyaope — has hit the streets of Bulawayo, with users parting with large sums of money just to get their hands on it. It was also discovered that the drug mixture, which originates from South Africa, is being peddled openly in the city, with officials from the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) professing ignorance of its existence or possible measures to contain it.
The concoction includes ARV tablets, milk powder, rat poison, bicarbonate of soda, mandrax and pool cleaner, which are crushed together to form a fine mixture, mixed with marijuana and then taken through smoking. Nyaope is also known as whoonga or wunga.
At times it is also mixed with heroine and chlorine and is available in two colours — green or white. In South Africa, where it was discovered last year, gangs went to the extent of robbing clinics of ARVs just to fulfil their needs for this drug.
A single hit in Bulawayo can cost between $30 and $150 for a parcel or straw and is smoked by heating the cocktail of ingredients and inhaling the fumes. One of the peddlers claimed he had been successfully operating for the past six months.
“I have previously been based in South Africa where this drug is much more famous; here I discovered that it is much easier to access the ARVs, where I simply contact some of my friends working as nurses who supply me with weekly batches.
“As for the other ingredients, they are openly available on the streets. It is the mixture that is rather complicated as it needs some expert hands to do it. That is what makes it quite expensive because no one can just get the mixture correct,” said the drug peddler. According to health24.com, users of Nyaope report that when using the drug, they can go for days without eating, which in turn weakens their immune system and makes them vulnerable to infection. “Initially users feel euphoric or, when using heavier doses, a wonderful sense of relaxation but the effects soon wear off and another hit is required. For some the less pleasant side effects include a painful stomach, muscle cramps and generally feeling really ill, but when these ease up, they use again.”
“Withdrawal is said to be especially harrowing and includes symptoms of stomach cramps, insomnia, diarrhoea and vomiting. Experts say just using it once is enough to get users hooked, similar to heroin addiction,” the website reads.
Drugs which are being abused are marijuana, crystal meth and a cough syrup called Broncleer which is mostly known as Ngoma.
Given the widespread abuse of drugs in the city, we feel it is time the responsible authorities took decisive action to stem the problem. Zimbabwe is generally a drug-free nation with hard drugs such as cocaine and heroine alien to Zimbabweans. But the emergence of these highly addictive concoctions on the streets of Bulawayo should be a cause for concern. South Africa has a big drug problem with dealers targeting the country to peddle their contraband. Zimbabwe could be next if the problem of drug abuse is not curtailed. It would generally be easy for authorities to identify the drug pushers as they target youths and are known. We also appeal to the youths to refrain from abusing drugs as they are detrimental to their health. Drugs cause mental problems and are costly in addition to being addictive.
They destroy lives and families. In the same vein, we are appalled that peddlers are misusing life-prolonging ARVs to manufacture illicit drugs. We concur with the Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Paul Chimedza, who said while he was not aware of the said drug or the alleged abuse of ARVs, it was his hope that the responsible authorities would act accordingly to deal with the matter before it went out of hand. “It is disappointing that this comes at a time when we want to have more ARVs in the country as per the new World Health Organisation’s guidelines. Instead of abusing the drugs we must consider that there are some people out there who really need them. “I believe the responsible authorities, mainly the police, should move with speed to address this issue and ensure that these ARVs are not abused by these unscrupulous individuals,” said Dr Chimedza.
Online Reporter