IT is really worrying to hear that over 30 percent of the country’s young population is abusing crystal methamphetamine.
This is a drug commonly referred to as ‘mutoriro‘ or ‘gukafella‘ on the streets.
Security agencies must intensify operations against drug peddlers as well as the barons supplying these dangerous products.
Drugs have become the nemesis to our developmental agenda.
It appears drug abuse has become a norm.
Suppliers and dealers are known, and so are the users.
I commend citizens who are clearly frustrated and fed up, and have now resorted to social media to expose the drug barons.
It pains to see one’s child being wasted into an early grave because of drug abuse.
Drug abuse has become a serious epidemic.
Youths, the segment of the population in its prime, should do better and act responsibly.
According to medical experts, once hooked to ‘mutoriro‘, it is difficult to stop taking as it has dangerous withdrawal symptoms.
The drug damages the brain, causes hallucinations and seizures.
A lot of crimes, including rape, are being committed by people under the influence of drugs.
Crystal meth is said to also cause development of fibres in the lungs, damages to kidney, liver and skeletal muscles as well as premature aging.
This is what we are exposing our children to, wittingly or unwittingly.
We should not be so consumed with the business of survival to the detriment of our children.
If we let our children go to waste, then we might as well stop striving for the better future that we are working so hard for.
Indeed it is hard to rehabilitate a mutoriro addict; so, is it not better to ensure the substance is not used at all.
There are people in dire need of medical care and it is unfortunate that much needed resources are being diverted to self-induced problems.
Values that promote and instill hunhu/ubuntu should be entrenched in the hearts of Zimbabweans.
Taking pride in being Zimbabwean and prioritising national ideals while fully serving the country should be encouraged among youths.
And abusing drugs should be a no no.
Serving the country is an obligation for everyone who takes pride in being Zimbabwean and one cannot serve effectively while high and wasted.
We must clearly spell out our values, national ethos and vision for the future to our youths and make them understand that they are an integral part of the development programme.
One would not be wrong to say that, in part, a great part, the struggle for Zimbabwe was waged by youths, a fair number which came from higher learning institutions.
But I am saddened to say that today’s youths seem not to grasp the fact that they are Zimbabwe’s future.
We fought long and hard for our children to be born in a free Zimbabwe and our actions, as well as theirs, should be a template and an example of what it means to be Zimbabwean.
We will not write them off; they are our children.