The Challenges of Fighting Drug Abuse Among the Youth in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Drug and substance abuse is on the rise in Zimbabwe among the youth, to the extent that the rehabilitation centres are reported to be full and unable to cope with the ever-rising demand for patience. This research stems from a 2017–2019 study carried out in two secondary schools in Bulawayo with the aim of exploring the nature, extent, causes, and consequences of school violence, as well as ways to combat the Phenomenon. Five hundred and eighty-one (581) questionnaires were distributed among two classes in two different schools, Mpopoma and Msiteli, and the results were analysed through SPSS. Although other forms of school violence were present, this paper focuses on drug abuse among youth. From a peacebuilding perspective, due to the fact that drugs impact both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of one’s life, drug abuse is viewed as a form of violence. Galtung’s theory of violence is going to be used to analyse drug abuse. Relevant literature pertaining to drug abuse in Zimbabwe is going to be reviewed. The paper argues that there is no single cause of drug abuse, hence a multi-causal approach; the current methods used to fight drug abuse, such as awareness campaigns, are not yielding expected results, hence drug abuse is on the increase; and in order to end drug abuse, the government needs to play a bigger role than it is playing now as most of the drugs come through porous borders and a lack of enforcement.