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GLF COLUMN
E C N A T S B U S I T N A E TH ABUSE CAMPAIGN n It’s time to take actio drugs against the scourge of in our community
W
e, who are in the liquor trade industry and contribute to township economy, have come to realise that the abuse of the following substances: alcohol, prescription pills, dagga, nyaope (a low-grade heroin mixed with other ingredients) and cocaine, debilitates our society and the youth of our country. We encourage members of our association, the Boksburg Vosloorus Food and Beverage Association (BVFBA) not to sell to the under-aged, pregnant women or those who are already intoxicated. Drunkenness is a no-no to us because bad things are easily conceived through a drunken mind. It perpetrates rape, unnecessary fights erupt as a result of people not being in their right frame of mind and motor vehicle accidents happen when drivers are drunk. Alcohol abuse can cause the death of innocent victims. Responsible drinking is our only hope. It is estimated that 37% of South Africans abuse alcohol and statistics show that we as a society consume more than 20 litres of alcohol per person per year. This makes it the most common primary substance of abuse and puts South Africans among the top alcohol consumers in the world! Demographically, young people in South Africa are the heaviest alcohol abusers. Statistics have revealed that 35% of teenagers in high school are already problem drinkers and young people aged between 18 and 22 are the heaviest alcohol abusers in South Africa. But an even more earnest concern is nyaope. This street drug has become our nemesis and the sooner we expunge it from our society, the better the affected will be able to live their lives free from it. It continues to pose a problem, with 8% of patients in Gauteng admitted to hospitals for nyaope use. South Africans must work hard to fight this debilitative 6
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substance! It is sad that even members of the South African Police Service are purported to be distributing this substance to our youth in exchange for cash! I find it obnoxious that those who are expected to protect us are the ones that play a role in obliterating the community by distributing drugs. We cannot sit and do nothing while nyaope controls and destroys the lives of our children and our society because, either way, it affects us too. Nyaope addicts break into our homes and business premises and steal our appliances to sell them for cash to quench their cravings. Nyaope is, without a doubt, a ferocious demon in our midst. The BVFBA has partnered with government to curb substance abuse. The government has an Anti Substance Abuse campaign in place and our mission is to create awareness and make a noise about it in every business by placing posters with information that will assist consumers from the affected families to proactively ask for drug counselling and help to save a life. Our hearts are not only filled with euphoria from embarking on such an
initiative but we also have empathy for those who are affected. We are a responsible organisation that promotes social responsibility. We are a generous organisation and we intend exhausting all avenues in fighting substance abuse. We are unrelenting about this campaign! Punitive measures will be taken against those responsible for selling and distributing drugs in our communities. Through organisations that we are connected to, we will make a noise about anti-substance abuse. We will not sit back and watch drug lords destroy our communities. Our goal is to see the statistics of those who use diminish remarkably, if not altogether. Regards Neo Khoaripe Head of Communications BVFBA
