Staff Writer
UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Mr Edward Kallon says drug trafficking is a transnational issue requiring a coordinated response from governments, organizations, and individuals.
Speaking at the launch of the Zimbabwe National Multi-Sectoral Drug and Substance Abuse Plan 2024-2030 and also the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking Wednesday, Mr Kallon urged government to continue to forge effective partnerships.
“The fight against drug trafficking is a transnational issue requiring a concerted response. We must forge strong partnerships across all sectors of society, mobilizing communities behind His Excellency’s vision of a drug-free Zimbabwe.
“Collaborative efforts between government, traditional and community leaders, faith-based organizations, churches, civil society organizations, the media and influencers, and public figures and individuals are essential,” Mr Kallon said.
Mr Kallon said prevention must be the foremost strategy, grounded in science, research, compassion, and respect for human rights.
“As the theme of World Drug Day 2024 aptly states, ‘The evidence is clear: invest in prevention.’ We must understand the social, economic, and health repercussions of drug use to craft effective policies and interventions,” Mr Kallon said.
According to the evidence available in the plan, 60% of patients admitted to mental health facilities in Zimbabwe are affected by substance use disorders.
A projected 40% increase in drug consumption among the youth across Africa between 2018 and 2030.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2024 World Drug Report, almost 292 million, or 1 in 18, people used a drug in 2022, a rise of 20% from a decade earlier.
Globally, substance abuse is a leading cause of crime and contributes to poverty, dysfunctional families and communities, the burden of disease, injury, and premature death.
Public health concerns are growing in Africa, where drug markets are rapidly diversifying from large markets of domestically sourced cannabis to those now including a multitude of transiting drugs such as cocaine and heroin, in addition to illicitly manufactured pharmaceuticals and new domestic harmful combinations with unclear content.
The trafficking of these drugs to and from Africa has clearly increased over the last three decades.
This has resulted in a spillover of international drug trafficking flows to local markets, exacerbating drug use harms.
“Therefore, the devastating consequences of substance abuse have the potential to undermine the gains which our new dispensation has made possible,” Mr Kallon said.
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