WATCH: ‘How I overcame drug addiction’

For two years, Kale Guest (21) from Bulawayo’s Queens Park suburb suffered from drug addiction, a scourge bedevilling the country while threatening to destroy the youth.

It was soon after the Covid-19 pandemic that Guest got hooked on crystal meth, popularly known as “guka”. It wasn’t his own doing as he was influenced by his friends, who had nothing better to do, but smoke and get high. His drug addiction began when he was 19, and had just been employed as a barrister at a local café.

Guest opened up about his addiction, which he says ruined part of his youth as he was forced to go into rehabilitation three times after relapsing. He spoke to Chronicle recently about how he got hooked on drugs.

“It comes in crystal form and is packaged in small sachets that cost US$5. I was never really interested in drugs, but because of peer pressure from my friends, I began using them and got myself addicted,” he said in an interview.

“At first being high was interesting as it would last up to 16 to 18 hours a day. When you are under the influence you do not eat, sleep or even feel thirsty. You practically become a zombie, but full of energy,” said Guest.

He said the drugs were readily available and were just a phone call away.

“When we had money, we would just call the supplier who would drive to our location and sell the drugs to us.

“That is how easy it is and that is why it is hard to arrest most of these dealers. They are mobile and relatively have no trace,” said Guest.

He said it was during the time he was using drugs that he encountered a lot of problems, both at home and even in his social life.

“Nothing was right, all was cloudy and the only thing that could put my mind at ease was drugs. It was then that my father decided I should go to rehab as he didn’t want to see me turn into a wreck, which I already was,” said Guest.

“I had a job and lost it due to drugs. My physical and mental health was greatly affected and I almost lost my life.”

After his first rehabilitation session, Guest says he felt he had won the war, but alas it was just a battle to a great war.

“Because of the friends I had and the knowledge of how the drugs made me feel, I relapsed. I was then taken to rehab a second time and after I came back home, I managed to stay a while away from drugs because now I was avoiding the friends that got me addicted to the drugs. Eventually, I relapsed again and had to go back,” said Guest.

He said after thorough self-introspection, he managed to pull his act together when he realised that he was eating into his father’s savings.

“The rehabilitation centre I was taken to costs R4 000 for a two-week long admission. So, you see the three times I cost my family R12 000 and that could have gone a long way in investing,” said Guest.

He said his worst fear right now is to relapse again.

“I get the occasional call from the one friend who doesn’t understand that drugs are not good. Just a few days ago when I was knocking off from work, I received a call and I immediately phoned my father to pick me up and went home,” Guest said.

He said how he was fighting the addiction is keeping himself occupied with work, socialising, and opening up about the issue.

“It’s something that is there and cannot be left unattended. We have a serious problem that is affecting the youth and we need to act,” said Guest.

“I am proud that I am not shy to talk about this and I urge all those that are addicted to seek help before it is too late. The youths must understand and know that they are not alone.”

He said the major issues that attract youths to drugs are bad upbringing, peer pressure, life frustrations, loneliness and relationships.

“There are a lot of factors that can lead people to do drugs. I am learning and will make sure I will not relapse because it is not a good feeling to be labelled an addict or to be perceived as a lost or useless cause in life,” said Guest.

Several campaigns have been launched by the Government to fight the drug and substance abuse scourge. Police have made several arrests of dealers and users, who have all been prosecuted.

Since the formation of the National Committee on Elimination of Drugs and Substance Abuse the fight against drugs has been stepped up against drug lords and suppliers. Police too are working tirelessly to fight the scourge where they are naming and shaming dealers.