Drug, Alcohol Abuse Worry Moremi
Boniface Keakabetse | Monday September 21, 2015 16:34
Moremi was guest speaker at the anti-alcohol and drug abuse campaign that was held for Maun youth under the theme ‘My Youth, My Responsibility, Be Sober’.
The campaign was organised by the Botswana Police Service in Maun. The main objective of the campaign was to educate and disseminate information to the youth on drug and substance abuse and encourage users to quit. Moremi painted a damning picture of drug misuse by the youth in Maun blaming it on the rising cases of crimes committed in the district. Moremi revealed that in 2015, 554 cases of drink and driving recorded in Maun were committed by the youth.
She said 197 youths were also suspended from driving for alcohol related road crimes.
Moremi said 127 youths were found in possession of marijuana saying these numbers are worrying. Moremi further described last year’s incidents of youth indiscipline, which were commonly said to be satanic attacks, as nothing but a manifestation of alcohol and drugs abuse.
“They practised what they termed Satanism. They burnt classrooms, absconded from school, dissected dogs in classrooms, harfrassed the staff at schools and wrote wicked messages on classroom boards,” she said, adding that the situation can no longer be condoned.
Moremi observed that it is not only youth in government schools, from primary to senior secondary level, who are affected by drug problems but also private school-going youths. She slammed parents who continue to sell to youth drugs and alcohol saying they are irresponsible.
Moremi attributed the drug problem to low parental guidance and modernisation, adding that drug and alcohol abuse is not only a national, but also an international problem.
For his part, police officer commanding in Maun, Abraham Kesupetswe complained of the high incidents of drug and alcohol abuse in his district.
He complained that there are many cases of rape, which are recorded in Maun explaining that a majority of them take place when people are at entertainment centres.
The police chief revealed that a lot of women are raped at and on their way from and to nightclubs in the village.
He said drugs also contribute to high incidents of road accidents and alcohol-related crimes, which are on the rise in Maun.
The function also heard that Botswana Police randomly conducts public education to members of the community on effects of drugs. They also spearhead formation of school anti-drugs committees, which provide counselling and conduct joint patrols with stakeholders to curb drug problems.