Adolescents and Drug Abuse in Tanzania: History and Evolution

Abstract

Drug abuse continues to be a major risky behaviour problem among young people all over the world.The study served as one key contribution to the knowledge of the world on the level of drug abuse in East Africa and suggested ways to curb the problem from increasing.The study findings revealed that 5-12% of young people have experienced drug use such as alcohol, cigarette, cannabis and khat at a young age and 2.1% have injected themselves with drugs such as heroin popularly known as "brown sugar".Despite the fact that Tanzania's existing laws provide stern punitive measures against all those involved in drug trafficking and consumption, the war against narcotic seems to be difficult as Tanzania continues to be a transit route for illicit drug.It is very unfortunate that young people are easily pooled into drug because of persuasive deals from drug barons who commission them to sell drugs on behalf as petty dealers.The government needs to take strong action against drug dealers.This includes passing of the pending narcotics laws of 2009 by the parliament and strengthening Anti-drug Agency; establish mobile rehabilitation services in schools, introducing drug prevention programmes in schools and passing drug testing policy in school to identify drug using students.

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