ANTI-DRUG LEGISLATION TO BE ENACTED IN ZIMBABWE AS DRUG ADDICTION WORSENS

Thu 05 October 2023:

To bolster its fight against drug and substance abuse, the Zimbabwean government will enact legislation, the cabinet official said on Wednesday, Xinhua reported.

In recent years, Zimbabwe has faced an increasing issue from youth drug and substance usage, causing the government to step up efforts to address the scourge.

Since then, an inter-ministerial task group led by Defense Minister Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri has spearheaded various cooperative attempts to combat the scourge of drugs, including frequent raids on drug producers, traffickers, and peddlers.

Addressing a post-cabinet media briefing, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Jenfan Muswere said a total of 5,367 drug offenders were arrested during the period from July. 7 to Sept. 23, 2023, a jump from 4,328 arrested for the whole year of 2022.

In addition to establishing drugs and narcotics units at major ports of entry to curtail the inflow of drugs, the government has also increased surveillance on licensed liquor outlets as well as increasing public awareness of the dangers of drug abuse, Muswere added.

“Going forward, Cabinet agreed to enact the relevant legislation for the establishment of a Drug Elimination Agency to govern and coordinate all national activities on drug and substance abuse,” he said.

The minister said the government will convert all idle provincial COVID-19 isolation facilities into multi-sectoral drug rehabilitation centers, as part of measures to strengthen its anti-drug and substance abuse program.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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