Habari

Youths in five regions inept due to drug addiction, smuggling

Continued smuggling and consumption of illicit drugs has rendered hundreds of young people inept in five regions, which have recorded more drug addicts in the country.

By Salome Kitomary, PST, Rombo



Continued smuggling and consumption of illicit drugs has rendered hundreds of young people inept in five regions, which have recorded more drug addicts in the country.


The Commissioner for Scouts Tanzania – Eastern Zone who is also the National Coordinator for Drug Control, Kiboma Amry named Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Iringa, Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions together with Zanzibar, among other places, to have registered more illicit drug consumers than any other place across the regions.


In his keynote address to a three-day seminar on the hazards of drug addiction, the event that brought together over 800 pupils and secondary school students in Rombo, Kilimanjaro Region, the coordinator said the findings have indicated that proliferation of drug addiction has escalated in urban areas.


He said border posts with numerous unauthorised inlets popularly known as panya routes have often been targeted and the villages around were turned into sanctuary for drug dealers.


He gave an example of some villages in the district, which has a larger section of residents fully engaged in illicit drug business such as marijuana and gongo that cross the border day and night.


“Youth of ages ranging between 14 and 35 constitute the majority of the victims of the illicit drug business. There is a need to educate members of the group to rid the nation of unproductive young men and women whose lives happened to be ruined through the uncalled-for practices,“ Amry explained the purpose for the workshop.


He said Scout Tanzania has discovered that drug addiction was closely related to the crime wave, adding that new AIDS infections also significantly undermined government efforts and the community at large to fight poverty at all levels beginning with the family.


Clarifying on the motive behind participation in the seminar of 800 students, the coordinator said each of the participants would be required to share with at least two colleagues the useful information gained during on prevention of drug addiction.


For his part, Rombo District Commissioner, Raymond Mushi reminded the young generation on the need to become responsible and respectable citizens, adding that that would not be possible with the youth involvement in drug addiction.


“The government in collaboration with local authorities will continue to work closely to stop the cross-border illicit drug business that has developed long roots in Rombo District,“ DC Mushi pledged.


The seminar was sponsored by an international organization, IOGT-NTO Movement of Sweden and coordinated by the Tanzania Scouts Alliance, targeting border regions and those with the greatest number of drug addicts.


Source: Guardian

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