One of the causes of drug abuse may be the attempt to manage the symptoms of an underlying mental illness. When we look at the drug scene in south africa, we see that the country is by far the largest market for illicit drugs entering southern africa. But in south africa in particular, tik crystal meth, or methamphetamine and alcohol are devastating society. Prevention of and treatment for substance abuse act.
Who health topic page on substance abuse provides links to descriptions of activities, reports, publications, statistics, news, multimedia and events, as well as contacts and cooperating partners in the various who programmes and offices working on this topic. Monitoring alcohol, tobacco and drug abuse treatment admissions in south africa, august 2015, phase 37, july december 2014 question 26182012 in parliament. Limpopo has conducted a study titled substance use, misuse and abuse amongst the youth in limpopo province. Hence, there is a need for a counselling program in each school to provide support and refer such learners to an appropriate institution for rehabilitation. Here are some statistics taken from a survey done from june 2010 march 2011 by the central drug authority cda of south africa to illustrate to you the harmful effects that drugs and alcohol have on our rainbow nation. In light of sancas drug awareness week from 24 to 28 june and youth month, now is the perfect time to place drug abuse in the spotlight. Drug use among youth and adults in a populationbased. South africa s drug problem was contextualized by a comparison with global trends. Methodology study design following the purpose of the study, a quantitative cross. The aim of the study was to explore the influence of social factors on adolescent drug abuse. Hazardous or harmful alcohol use was assessed with the 10item alcohol disorder identification test audit, e. Approximately 270 991 citizens are problem drug users in.
How many children between the ages of a 12 and 14, b 14 and 16 and c 16 and 18 were receiving treatment for i alcohol and ii drug dependency as at the latest specified date for. Drug prevention programs are designed to provide the education and support necessary to diminish drug dependency in communities, schools and the workplace. Latest drug statistics south africa 2016 south africa. The impact of substance abuse alcohol rehab centers drug.
Fighting addiction by all accounts, fighting addiction is a titanic task, the intricacies being so vast and layered. The main objective of this study was to collect baseline data which will enable government and the private sector to improve treatment, prevention strategies and approaches to reduce substance abuse amongst the youth in limpopo. There has only been one nationally representative epidemiological study of alcohol, drug and psychiatric disorders, carried out between 2002 and 2004 and mainly to diagnose mental disorders in adults. The drug problem in south africa is extremely serious, with drug usage reported as being at twice the world norm. Call us on 081 444 7000 in south africa or 0800 955 4357 in the uk. Mandrax is today the second most widely abused substance in south africa after cannabis.
Substance abuse is a devastating problem both globally and in south africa. Original articles patterns of substance use in south africa. This is because alcohol and drugs are becoming easier to get hold of, some may say that it is easier for a teenager to get drugs then it is to get alcohol. The researchers interest in the study evolved from her involvement with adolescent drug patients at magaliesoord centre. Pdf learners substance abuse at school in selected high. Request pdf drug abuse by learners in south africa. Alcohol remains the substance most often used by south africans 38. A quantitative, descriptive, explorative design was used to examine drug abuse among adolescents in swaziland. Substance abuse in south africa, its linkages with. Alcohol and substance abuse among students at university. The study was conducted in the rural areas of zeerust, north west province of south africa. The trend of new drugs entering the drug market has increased in south africa.
This has since been supplemented by national surveys. The researcher collected data by interviewing adolescents who abused drugs in the msunduza township, mbabane, swaziland. Pdf substance abuse and behavioral correlates of sexual. Introducing substance use and abuse in sa brain behaviour. Types of drugs addiction in south africa educate yourself. Rural secondary school learners in south africa have a low prevalence rate of substance abuse. Drug and alcohol abuse in south africa relapse prevention. Substance related disorders prevention and control 3. Substance abuse and psychological wellbeing of south african adolescents c a representative survey involving 6 000 learners in grades 8 and 11 in 39 schools in cape town showed that the highest prevalence of substance use was in the. Introduction south africa is the southern most country in africa and has a population of approximately 38 million persons, distributed over nine provinces ranging in population from 746 000 northern cape to 7 672 000 kwazulunatal. Drug trafficking and abuse have escalated since the end of apartheid 1992. Pdf epidemiology of drug abuse treatment in south africa. Agencies rendering eapewp services highlight a rise in substance. South african law policy on substance abuse in the workplace no single legislationact that make specific provisions to substance abuse in the workplace.
Our vision is to plant a house regeneration training centre in at least every province in south africa. Through our online national biblical counselling college we want to empower enough therapists and counsellors so that we have representation in every major town and city in sa. Drug use statistics in south africa as reported by the united nations world drug report of 2014 drug abuse remains a growing problem in south africa with 7. Adolescent substance abuse is a major problem facing the world today. A lack of recent and comprehensive data on the extent and costs of alcohol and substance abuse in south africa is a further barrier to developing scientific approaches to address the problem and. Jun 25, 20 the drug problem in south africa is extremely serious, with drug usage reported as being at twice the world norm. Substance abuse is a growing problem in south africa, with just more than % of the population having used a substance during their lifetime. This paper focuses specifically on the issue of substance use, abuse and addiction amongst the 201220 services. Journalists%20briefing%20booklet%20on%20alchol%20adevertising. Domestic violence in south africa has been viewed as a private matter until the last few decades.
This commentary comprises a reflection on these issues with reference to south africa. Alcohol and other substance use and abuse are associated with serious physical and psychological consequences. In december 2002, the south african government promulgated its policy framework for the management of drug abuse by learners in schools and in public further education and training institutions. The south african university students are not different from other students around the globe. Most of the families have faced family separation as a result of excessive use of drugs and alcohol. Substance misuse trends in south africa wiley online library. Supply reduction saps reduction treatment the treatmentrehabilitation of those with a substance abuse problem department of social development and partners south african police services supported by the department of social development. Helplines south africa south africa rehab and drug support. Alcohol and drug abuse in south africa, as in the rest of the world, reaches across social, racial, cultural, language, religious and gender barriers, and places an immense health and socioeconomic burden on south african society. According to evans 2014, there are numerous reasons for the significant rate of alcohol.
Substance abuse and destructive lifestyles will increase. Alcohol and substance abuse are the main contributors to health costs, social problems such as. Conducting effective substance abuse prevention work among the. One in every 14 people are regular users adding up to a total of 3. Substance use amongst secondary school students in a. An exploration into nyaope users and interventions to curb. The aim of this paper is to make a contribution to the developing south african literature on the subject of substance abuse, with a specific focus on the criminal justice system. Historically substance abuse data in south africa have. Until the late 1990s information came mostly from ad hoc crosssectional studies, often conducted in a single location, and from information on police arrests and drug seizures, mortuaries and school surveys.
Currently in south africa, there is a new drug on the market known as nyaope. Substance abuse in south africa the scourge of substance abuse the prevention of and treatment for substance abuse act has been passed and the government has approved a national drug master plan for 202017 that is being implemented to reduce the demand for and supply of abused substances, and to reduce the harm caused by substance abuse. The latest peace maker barometer survey, completed on the 9th of november 2014, reveals that alcohol and drugs are perceived to be the leading cause of partner abuse in south africa. One of the social ills which the department is trying to combat is alcohol and substance abuse amongst the youth, which aggravates socioeconomic challenges in communities. Substance use and abuse is becoming a major public health problem, both internationally and in south africa. The statistics showed that the use of cannabis, cocaine, and tik was twice as much in south africa as worldwide.
Historically substance abuse data in south africa have been limited. Exploring substance use among south african adult and young. A new study has shown that one in 10 deaths in south africa can be attributed to alcohol abuse in some way with men in low income groups the most at risk. Introducing substance use and abuse in south africa. How often did you have a drink containing alcohol in the past 12 months. Exploring substance use among south african adult and. Why sa is losing the war against alcoholism and drug abuse. It can cause or worsen many medical problems and if left untreated can destroy families and lives. Learners substance abuse at school in selected high schools in east london of south africa article pdf available in journal of research in education sciences 191. It is reckoned that we consume in excess of 5 billion litres of alcohol annually.
The staggering stats of addiction in south africa at least 15 percent of south africans are said to have a drug problem, according to the countrys central drug authority. Illegal drug consumption costs the south african economy 6. Substance use amongst secondary school students in a rural. The data shows that in 2015, pure alcohol consumption per litre in south africa is at 11. But in south africa in particular, tik crystal meth, or methamphetamine and alcohol are devastating society, aggravating poverty and crime, and contributing to child abuse and gender violence. The treatmentrehabilitation of those with a substance abuse problem depart ment of social development and partners. Substance use in southern africa knowledge, attitudes, practices.
Worldwide and in south africa, the abuse of drugs has become one of the most challenging social issues. The south african depression and anxiety group sadag has partnered with the department of social development in launching a tollfree substance abuse helpline in an effort to increase access to help, support and appropriate treatment for substance users. South africa has no regular representative surveys on substance abuse. Its also when you use alcohol, prescription medicine, and other legal substances too much or in the wrong way. While not as prevalent as alcohol abuse, drug abuse is another challenge that continues to remain a problem evans, 2014. Drug abuse often occurs alongside other conditions like mental illness. It is also important to note that polysubstance abuse remains high in south africa with between 32% and 45% of patients in treatment reporting more than one substance of abuse pluddemann et al.
When someone is under the influence of alcohol and drugs it is very difficult for that person to make good and sound decisions. In the 2012 financial year, just over onethird of the crimes against women that had been reported were prosecuted in court. Department of social developments substance abuse line offers support, guidance and help for people addicted to drugs and alcohol as well as their families. Labour relations act, employment equity, basic conditions of employment, occupational health and safety, prevention and treatment of drug. Drug and alcohol abuse in south africa has greatly increased and has a lot of effect that it causes. This notwithstanding, alcohol, cannabis and khat still remain the most common substances of abuse in.
Research has highlighted the link between alcohol and drug abuse and. The aim of the study was to explore the epidemiology of drug abuse treatment in south africa. The introduction of prescription drugs to africa drastically increased the availability and use of psychoactive substances. Drug abuse prevention has become an important first step in informing specific individuals about the dangers of addiction, prevention techniques and where to find recovery help if it should be deemed. Methodsdata were derived from the 2002 2004 south african stress and health sash. Jun 24, 20 the drug problem in south africa is extremely serious, with drug usage reported as being at twice the world norm. It presents itself with complicated challenges that threaten the social fabric of society and has severe complications for both users and nonusers alike. Substance abuse is when you take drugs that are not legal. But the lack of comprehensive data to understand the changing trends of substance use and the lack of treatment facilities leaves much to be. Substance abuse and psychological wellbeing of south african. Prevention of and treatment for substance abuse act south. Drug abuse remains a growing problem in south africa with 7.
In order to understand the reasons for adolescent substance abuse behaviour, various theoretical perspectives were utilised and strategies to curb substance use were also identified. May 17, 2006 the history of psychoactive substance use in africa is relatively short except for the reports on the use of traditional substances such as alcohol, cannabis and khat. Substance abuse is an enormous social problem in south africa, as elsewhere. Substance abuse and psychological wellbeing of south african adolescents maretha visser department of psychology, university of pretoria, brooklyn, 0002, south africa maretha. Substance abuse is a global phenomenon, and south africa is not immune to this. Alcohol abuse was a major problem in south africa and an estimated two million people could be classified as problem drinkers. Alcohol in particularly is a widely used psychoactive substance with dependence properties. Substance abuse among male adolescents by irene patience. According to patrizia scalone from metapsychetc, substance abuse can simply be defined as a.
Abuse was originally strong among south africa s ethnically indian population before it spread to other ethnic groups, including the country s african population. Apr 21, 2016 drug use statistics in south africa as reported by the united nations world drug report of 2014. Harmful drug and alcohol use is generally discussed in three areas of concern. Alcohol and south africas youth seggie south african. While mental illness itself is not thought to cause drug abuse, one condition may indicate, and be complicated by, the other. Legislation has been passed to help improve the quality of life for those being abused and to prevent further abuse. Grootboom said the united nations recognised south africa as the regional hub for drug trafficking, and was the largest transit zone for illicit drugs in southern africa. A draft set of guidelines on how to implement the policy is under development by the department of education. Alcohol and drug problem overview the abuse of alcohol and other drugsincluding prescription drugsis common and costly. The study objectives to assess the prevalence level and the age of debut of substance abuse amongst secondary school learners. Overall substance abuse in sa alcohol is the most common substance of abuse among adult population in sa. Abuse was originally strong among south africas ethnically indian population before it spread to other ethnic groups, including the country s african population.
Were going to tell you about the types of drug addiction in south africa. Drug abuse is damaging south africas youth cover publications. In the year 2000, a multisectoral coordinating body the central drug authority was established in this country to oversee the implementation of the national drug master plan 1. South african drug and alcohol statistics we do recover. Frequent abuse of alcohol and other drugs can lead to addiction, a disease that affects the brain and behavior. South africa is witnessing the scourge of addiction as the youth grows dependent on mindaltering substances. Run in partnership with the sa depression and anxiety group. According to who, pure alcohol consumption per litre in south africa is at 11. Substance related workplace prevention in south africa over the last the last 2 decades workplace focused on hivaids prevention peer counseling, vct and arv programmes.
Substance abuse and psychological wellbeing of south. Substance abuse, harm prevention and harm reduction. To determine the factors possibly contributing to substance use amongst secondary school learners. During the apartheid years south africa was relatively isolated from.
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