Edwin Moyo
Kwekwe- Police in the city of gold has intensified campaign against drug and substance abuse calling upon parents to have mechanisms to monitor their children’s behavior in order to reduce crimes by juveniles.
Speaking last week during a tree planting event which was organized by Kwekwe East Methodist Circuit, District Community Liaison Officer, Clemence Mande said, it was worrying to note how young people were demising due to the alarming levels of drug uptake.
He added that the social fabric of the society was at risk considering that the youth were lined up to be part of national institutions such as police and army.
“You find that the uptake of drugs in now alarming in our district, youths are going about inhaling pampers, guka and other dangerous substances. You just see from the behavior exhibited that a lot would have changed on a child.
“Its very sad to note that young people are struggling with addiction and are now detaching themselves from families and friends killing the social fabric of the community. Let’s be on the guard as mental cases are on the rise, we have even had scenarios where we are called to attend to someone who would be stuck on one place due to drugs” he said.
He further stressed that a lot of crimes such as reckless driving and theft were being fueled by use of substances.
“Many accidents are aligned to the use of drugs. What’s disturbing is the fact that such people don’t even have licenses, and endanger lives of other road users.
“Am grateful to be part of this event where the church has taken a stand to say youths must be on the forefront to help their peers to reduce the scourge. As families, we belong to churches, we belong to a society hence each and everyone must be responsible for the welfare of the youths.
“It is important to make sure that, we push for more rehabilitation centers like what we have seen in Amaveni. Let’s take it up our shoulders to monitor how children behave and quickly attend to signs of drug abuse,” Mande added.
Nyaradzo Funeral Group, Kwekwe branch manager, Kumbirai Tavagwisa said, it was important to embrace tree planting for medicinal use.
“When we plant trees, we do it for the environment, the medicine we get from trees is for health purpose not to see situations where some trees are now used for harmful drugs processing.
“We want youths to take a leading role in being responsible environmentalist, venture into bee keeping, plant trees for the survival of the community rather than being in the company of bad people who give you peer pressure” she said.
