peterIT is foolhardy to blame outside forces as push factors that drive young people to indulge in drugs, alcohol and all forms of malice that derail them in living morally upright lives.
There is no point in skirting the fact that young people have a choice to change the course of their lives. Simply, the buck stops with them. It is a choice, one that must be informed by truth.
Our peers who use drugs have fallen into a trap so deep but can be rescued, if we put our minds together. This demands honesty from us as young people.
Are we to always blame the elders for what we take into our bodies? The answer is multi-pronged but what if we agree that apportioning blame must start from within.
Changing our behaviour has to start by accepting the truth of our decaying morals. I know of a lot of my peers who are fixated in the latest drug “series” not because they are escaping from pain but, doing it for fun.
Many will agree that on weekends night clubs in the city are a hive, with school going children disguised as adults.
I would not want to use the word “They” in reference to some of us who abuse drugs. “We” are a part of it.
We go there to fit in and be mischievous for fun. We, the young people, find it mandatory to take drugs as it symbolises a sign of maturity to them.
Drug and alcohol abuse has become a hobby to young people. It is not a choice, a well calculated one that a Form 3 girl steals their parents’ money to go buy crystal meth at the corner of some street in the Central Business District?
On a Friday, the crystal meth drug is shared amongst friends. This is done away from the public eye.
While we can say some causes are peer pressure, unnecessary experiments and society at large, we as young people ought to stop and rethink.
Let us share this experience and talk. As the truth comes out, we can mend ourselves and start living well.
Pointing fingers at anything to shift the blame is absurd. This I say to my fellow youngsters that let us talk the truth and shun the devil. We all have a friend or two who goes to a Vuzu party every weekend. We have that one friend who buys a stash of drug powder now and then.
But, do we ever try to talk them out. It starts from there I think. Of course some members of our society practice ill behaviours in front of children. Must we follow that route and later play the blame game. Certainly no!
Change is within. Take this into consideration young people, there will come a time when the call for help is not heard. Tell that friend to stop using cocaine and drinking alcoholic spirits.
I have already started in talking to one junkie old friend of mine. He was hooked in inhaling glue, taking painkiller tablets and drinking alcohol. Funny thing is, he started when he was 15 years of age. At 18, he looks well like a 40-year-old man.
Does it ring a bell? He had a choice and has no one to blame, the way forward is to help a friend and a peer come back to his senses. If only we tell each other these stories that some of us will heal.
In a nutshell we cannot keep on pointing fingers at each other. We still have time to mend the future of our drug addicted generation. The road to the drug lord’s house is littered with potholes. Let us find other sources of fun.
In the meantime, let me go check how my old friend is rehabilitating. Stop raising that hand to blame society on our moral decay. The solution lies with us. What do you think?
n Linda Sibanda is an Upper Sixth learner at Honours Academy in Entumbane
n Learners are encouraged to contribute to this column, which is part of the Zimpapers Junior Media Club. Send your articles to: [email protected] or [email protected]
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