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Drug and Alcohol Abuse Among Young People In Zimbabwe: A Crisis Of
Morality or Public Health Problem

Dr. Vakai Matutu (PhD)

[email protected]

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orcid.org/ 0000-0003-0242-068

and

Daniel Mususa

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[email protected]

Abstract
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Drug and substance continues to be on the rise in Zimbabwe. It is more prevalent
in urban areas. Despite growing evidence that drug and substance abuse are on the
increase especially among young people, there is little being done in terms of
interventions conducted by the government and its partners to reduce drug and
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substance abuse among the youth. This paper is based on research conducted in
Zimbabwe with the aim of understanding drug and substance abuse among young
people in Zimbabwe. The study focused on the driving forces or push factors for
drug and substance abuse among young people, the sources of illicit drugs and
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substances, prevalence of drug and substance abuse among young people as well
as the interventions being implemented to address the problem of drug and
substance abuse. The key findings indicate that prevalence of drug abuse is at
57% among young people, the most commonly abused drugs and substances are
marijuana and alcohol. Peer pressure, breakdown of the family support system,
limited knowledge about the effects of drug abuse and stress were identified as the
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major factors that drive substance and drug abuse among the youth. The
criminalisation of the drug and substance abuse continues to make it difficult for
young people to seek help when they suffer from the effects of the drug abuse.
The paper recommends an emphasis on shift from the legal approach to a public
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health approach in-order to address the challenges and complications associated

with drug and substance abuse among young people in Zimbabwe.
Key Words: drug and substance abuse, young people, public health
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Introduction and Background
Young people are a key population in the global drug and substance abuse
statistics. It has been observed that many young people are involved in the drug
supply chain due to poverty (World Drug Report, 2018) and as a coping strategy
against unemployment (Moyo, 2018). Globally about 243 million people of the
world population aged 15-64 had used an illicit drug that is mainly a substance

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belonging to the cannabis, opioid and cocaine at least once in the previous year
(UNODC, 2014:17). The World Drug Report (2012) reports 183,000 drug-related
deaths and a very high mortality rate of 40.0 deaths per million among the
population aged 15-64. The use and abuse of drugs is an intractable public health

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problem for health systems (Tran et al., 2019). It continues to present grave
health, social, economic and moral challenge for the world (Singkorn et al. 2019;
Buja et al, 2018). Substance and drug abuse affects physical, mental and
psychosocial health (Moyo, 2018). Psychological disorders, social and moral
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decadence in the communities across the globe (Collins, 2015) are some of the
major problems associated with drug and substance abuse in young people.
Alcohol and drug abuse are also associated with poor academic performance,
cigarette smoking and unsafe sexual behaviours (Rudatsikira et al, 2009).
Medically, people presenting substance misuse and neuro-psychiatric drug-related
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conditions are a growing public health challenge and between 76 to 85% of such
cases in low income countries do not receive treatment (Belete et al., 2018). In
South Africa a 2015 paper indicates that alcohol was the fifth highest cause of
death and disability and links ‘heavy drinking’ to sexually transmitted infections
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and interpersonal violence which are the two leading causes of death in South
Africa. This shows the devastating effect illicit drugs have had on the global
population. Deviance, criminal behaviours and poor health and wellbeing among
users are some of the major problems associated with drug abuse especially
among young people (Van Zyl, 2014; Olasupo and Idemidia, 2017:65).
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Drug abuse has been defined as the excessive, maladaptive, or addictive use of
drugs for non-medical purposes despite social, psychological, and physical
problems that may arise from such use (Rogers, 2011). Countries such as USA,
Brazil, Mexico, South Africa and Morocco also continue to present high rates of
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both of illicit drug use and incidence of health problems associated with use of
drugs. The use of illicit drugs is yet to be fully researched and explored. UNODC
(2014) further observes that there is ‘no conclusive evidence with respect to the
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extent of cocaine and other illicit drug use in Africa and Asia’. In Zimbabwe there
is anecdotal evidence of drug abuse among the youth especially in the intimate
and informal interaction networks (Ngwenya, 2019; Moyo, 2018) and there is
limited national data on the use and effects of illicit drugs among the population.
However, other studies have shown an increase in the use of marijuana among
young people with prevalence ranging from ranging from 6.1% to 13.8%. The use

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of marijuana has been found to be a stepping stone and entry point to further
uptake of other illicit drugs especially among young people in Zimbabwe and
Africa. (Rudatsikira et al, 2009:3).
This study sought to understand the socio economic and demographic factors that
predisposes young people to using illicit drugs, prevalence of illicit drug use

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among young people in Zimbabwe. Most studies have been primarily focussing
on the individual drug users without paying particular attention to the ‘risk
environment’ which predisposes young people to illicit drug use (Rhodes, 2008;
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Kolla et al, 2017: 93). The research further sought to understand the current
interventions being implemented by the government and various partners to
address the plight of young people under the influence, indulgence and addiction
of illicit drugs. Finally the study interrogates perspectives for public health
approaches to the problem of illicit of drug abuse among young people in
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Zimbabwe.
Materials and Methods
This study used both primary and secondary data. A survey was conducted to
collect data from 2610 young people aged 10 to 24 years. The study sought to
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establish drug and substance abuse among young people in the last 3 years, drugs
and substances abused by young people, sources of drugs and substances abused,
drug and substance abuse by gender, reasons for drug and substance abuse and the
study further sought to determine the prevalence of drug and substance abuse
among young people. A self- administered questionnaire was used in this study.
Study participants were randomly selected from the four high density residential
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locations. Four focus group discussions were held with the study participants to
further understand subjective issues and experiences of young people using illicit
drugs and substances. The focus groups had 12 to 16 participants with an equal
gender balance. Key informant interviews were further held with twelve key
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informants from government departments which are health, youth affairs, NGOs
and Community based organisations working with young people. Thus the study
therefore brings a balance of both qualitative and quantitative methods.
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Results and Discussion
Drug use among young people remains a key concern for both young people,
parents and the community at large. This study conducted a cross sectional
assessment of drug and substance abuse among the study participants in the last
three months. 66% of young people 10 to 24 years who participated in this study
reported to have used an illicit drug and substance in the last three months. This

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high prevalence of drug and substance abuse among the study participants reflect
high use of illicit drugs and substances among young people in high density
communities in urban areas. Fig 1 below presents the research findings.
Fig 1

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Fig 1 above summarizes the level of drug and substance abuse among the study
participants with a high of 66%. Most studies in Africa which focus on drug abuse
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among young people have shown a steady increase in the rates and prevalence of
illicit drug use in young people especially in high density urban settings and in
informal dwellings with high concentration of people. Social ills such as high
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crime rates have been associated with these high density and informal residential
locations. The question which remains unanswered by most studies is whether a
high density and informal locations increases the risk of drug and substance abuse
among young people or it is something to do with societal values and practices.
However the consistent association of high drug and substance abuse with high
density settlements and informal residential areas remains intriguing to most

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researchers
Drug and substance abuse is not the same among boys and girls. This research
found a high drug and substance abuse among boys at 87% while at 13% for girls
who reported taking an illicit drug and substance in the last three months. Fig 2
below presents the levels of drug and substance by gender among young people

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who reported taking an illicit drug or substance in the last 3 months.

Fig 2
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Fig 2 above shows that the use of illicit drugs is high in boys compared to that of
girls and this is consistent with most studies on drug abuse in young people.
However the worrying trend is the steady rise in the number of girls using illicit
drugs,
Young people who use drugs for multiple various reasons. The study participants
for this research presented the following as the major reasons for taking drugs;

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peer pressure, stress relief, for excitement and others defined drug use their
lifestyle.

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Fig 3 above shows that among young people who reported having used an illicit in
the last 3 months peer pressure [32%], desire for excitement, keeping high spirit
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[26%] were the top major reasons why young people use illicit drugs. The other
highly cited reasons are; to relieve stress and other young people believed that life
on drugs was their life style of choice both at [21%].
The source of drugs and substances being used by young people remains illicit
also. However this study found out that young people who reported taking an
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illicit drug and substance the following were the most commonly abused are
marijuana, alcohol, cough syrups and glue.
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Fig 4 above shows that young people are mostly taking marijuana [32%], cough
syrups-codeine [26%] and alcohol [26%]. However this research established that
young people who abuse drugs don’t just take one but more than one substance
are consumed. This study limited the substances and drugs to two and 78% of
young people who were taking illicit drugs and substances indicated they had used
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both marijuana and cough syrup-codeine while 57% of young people who
reported having taken an illicit drug or substance indicated that they had taken
both marijuana and alcohol
The abuse of cough syrup- codeine has been growing in Africa especially among
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young people. Countries like Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe have
seen young people drowning in the addiction to codeine mostly consumed through
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cough syrups. Cough syrup – codeine is emerging as the leading substance abused
by young people..

Public Health in the Context of Drug and Substance Abuse by Young People
Public Health is defined as “the art and science of preventing disease, prolonging
life and promoting health through the organized efforts of society” (Acheson,

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1988; WHO, 2001). Activities to strengthen public health capacities and service
aim to provide conditions under which people can maintain to be healthy, improve
their health and wellbeing, or prevent the deterioration of their health. Public
health focuses on the entire spectrum of health and wellbeing, not only the
eradication of particular diseases. Many activities are targeted at populations such

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as health campaigns. Public health services also include the provision of personal
services to individual persons, such as vaccinations, behavioural counselling, or
health advice. Public health further combines the sciences, skills, and beliefs
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which are directed towards the maintenance and improvement of the health of all
people through collective or social actions. The programs, services, and
institutions involved emphasize the prevention of disease and the health needs of
the population as a whole. Public health activities have changed over time with
changing technology and social values, but the goals remain the same: to reduce
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the amount of disease, premature death, and disease-produced discomfort and
disability in the population. Public health is thus a social institution, a discipline,
and a practice A public health approach to the issue of drug and substance abuse
among young people in Zimbabwe by the government and its partners will ensure
that drug and substance abuse in young people is not criminalised but instead
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treated as a social and health problem

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