THE Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and Drugs and Network (ZCLDN) says there is need for new strategies in dealing with the scourge of drug abuse outside criminalising drug users.
Speaking at a workshop on harm reduction, ZCLDN executive director, Wilson Box, said criminalising drug use had unintended consequences of driving the culprits underground.
“The tactic which is being used is not effective because when someone who uses drugs is faced with criminalisation, that person actually goes underground,” Box said.
“Moreso, laws that have been there before have not been effective as we have seen an increase in the use of psycho-active substances such as mutoriro (crystal meth) and heroin.
“There are better ways to deal with the drug scourge, what we can call alternatives to criminalisation.”
Box said drug abuse was a public health issue.
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“The first thing to be done is to look at the laws themselves instead of criminalisation. Why can’t we say the issue of drug use is a public health issue where we put in place more rehabilitation centres and harm reduction services and we encourage people who use and inject drugs to go to those treatment service centres,” Box said.
“If we criminalise drug use, we are putting a lot of burden on the State and the State at the moment has no funds to look after those people in our jails.”
Box further said it was worrying to note that until now there has been no arrest of the big fish behind the manufacture and distribution of drugs.