NOTICE 2023 OF 1998
A national drug master plan summarizes national policies, defines priorities and allocates
responsibilities for drug control initiatives.
Comments to be directed to the Ministry for Welfare and Population Development before 16 November 1998
For attention:
Dr EW Harvey
Department of Welfare
Private Bag X901
Pretoria
0001
Fax: (012) 324 2648
ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
THE SECRETARY
DRUG ADVISORY BOARD
DEPARTMENT OF WELFARE
PRIVATE BAG X901
PRETORIA
0001
Telephone: (012) 312 7568
Faximilee: (012) 324 2648
e-Mail: wels040@welspta.pwv.gov.za
The Drug Advisory Board wishes to extend a word of thanks to the Departments and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) who contributed to the drafting of the Plan:
Office of the Attorney-General Western Cape
South African Alliance for the Prevention of Substance Abuse (SAAPSA)
Department of Welfare
Alcohol and Drug Studies, Johannesburg
South African Narcotics Bureau (SANAB)
South African Revenue Services
Department of Health, Mental Health and Substance Abuse
South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency (SANCA)
Medical Research Council
Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC)
National Crime Prevention Strategy, Programme, Management Services Department of Welfare
Department of Education
Department of Foreign Affairs
Department of Correctional Services
CSIR
Department of Health (Medicines Control Board)
Department of Justice, Pretoria
A special word of thanks to Ms Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, Minister for Welfare and Population Development, for her support in designing this National Drug Master Plan.
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
CHAPTER 2
Vision
CHAPTER 3
The Master Plan: Its priorities, objectives and implementation
CHAPTER 4
Composition and functions of the Central Drug Authority, Secretariat,
Local Drug Action Committees, and Provincial Drug Abuse fora
CHAPTER 5
The five areas of focus
Area 1: Crime
Area 2: Youth
Area 3: Community Health and Welfare
Area 4: Research and Communication
Area 5: International Involvement
CHAPTER 6
Conclusion
In his first opening address to Parliament in 1994, South African President Nelson Mandela specifically singled out alcohol and drug abuse among the social pathologies that needed to be combatted. Alcohol and other drug abuse (hereinafter referred to as substance abuse) is a major cause of crime, poverty, reduced productivity, unemployment, dysfunctional family life, political instability, the escalation of chronic diseases, such as AIDS and tuberculosis (TB), injury and premature death. Its sphere of influence reaches across social, racial, cultural, language, religious and gender barriers and, directly or indirectly, affects everyone.
South Africa is, for a number of reasons, experiencing an unacceptable increase in substance abuse (the age of first experimentation has also dropped) and its associated problems. Principal among them is South Africa's the social and political transformation which has taken place on the domestic front, and our re-emergence as a member of the international community.
The rapid expansion of international air links, combined with the country's geographic position on major trafficking routes between East Asia and the Middle East, the Americas and Europe; a well-developed transportation infrastructure; modern international telecommunications and banking systems; long, porous borders and weak border control have made South Africa a natural target for drug traffickers.
Desperate and unemployed South Africans are being lured by syndicates with promises of easy money into becoming drug couriers and the overflow of drugs transshipped through South Africa is also finding its way onto the local market.
With regard to tobacco, the National Cancer Registry estimates that about 89 000 premature deaths per year can be expected in South Africa on the basis of current smoking patterns.
South Africa is not alone in its fight against drugs. The rapid globalisation of the drug trade over the past decade has virtually assured that no country is immune to the threat, and a growing number are developing long-term strategies to deal with the problem. The successes of these strategies, however, necessarily imply the increased threat to the South Africa's borders, as drug traffickers are forced to find markets further afield in which to ply their wares.
Substance abuse patterns in South Africa vary according to age, social class, occupation, school-status, gender and geographic location.
All drugs can be broadly divided into the following three groups:
Generally, the substances that are abused in South Africa can roughly be divided into three categories: those which are extensively used, those which are moderately used and those used less frequently.
In the first category, alcohol and tobacco remain the most commonly abused substance in South Africa, followed by cannabis and the cannabis/Mandrax ('white pipe') combination. Mandrax (Methaqualone) is sometimes used on its own. There is also considerable abuse of over-the-counter and prescription medicines (e.g. pain relievers, tranquillisers, cough mixtures, slimming tablets), as well as volatile solvents (especially glue).
The second category contains crack cocaine, cocaine (powder), heroin, Speed, LSD, hashish and Ecstasy, although crack cocaine may need to be placed in the first category in the near future.
In the category of least frequently used drugs, one finds opium, Rohypnol (Flunitrazipam), Ketamine and Wellconal.
South Africa now ranks among the world's largest producers of cannabis, most of which is consumed regionally, with some shipments made to the Netherlands and the United Kingdom (UK). Both locally and at a global level, however, the drug scene has been shown to be extremely dynamic. In terms of production, changes have been noted both in the sites of production as well as in the substances being produced. Globally, for example, there has been an increase in production of substances such as heroin, cocaine and amphetamines. In Southern Africa, laboratories where Mandrax is being produced, have been discovered in South Africa and Zambia.
For the purposes of the National Drug Master Plan, the term 'drugs' will refer to the illicit drugs as defined in the Drugs and Drug-Trafficking Act, 1992 (Act 140 of 1992), and the popularly abused and licit medicines.
While not specifically included, alcohol, tobacco, and volatile solvents are also recognised as major contributing factors to health and social problems in the country. Wherever possible, therefore, the South African National Drug Master Plan is to be used as a measure for reducing their abuse and minimising of the harm they cause.
A drug master plan is defined by the United Nations Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) as 'the single document adopted by government outlining all national concerns in drug control'.
'It summarizes authoritatively national policies, defines priorities and apportions responsibilities for drug control efforts' (UNDCP, 1995, p2). It acts both as a director and a directory of a country's policies and programmes in the fight against substance abuse.
The South African National Drug Master Plan will instruct, where it has the power, and inform.
Sections 10 to 12(1) of Chapter 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996, (Act 108 of 1996), grants citizens the right to have their dignity respected and protected, the right to life, and the right to freedom and security.
The South African Government is accordingly committed to reducing both the supply of illegal drugs and the demand for them, through a wide range of actions and programmes.
To do this, it needs the help of all the criminal justice agencies, other government departments, local authorities, health professionals, traditional healers, religious organisations, schools, parents, sports groups, the media and the private sector.
To date, however, the South African response to the drug problem has been disjointed, fragmented and uncoordinated. This incoherent response has negatively influenced the fight against drugs in two main ways, namely:
Firstly, the duplication of certain services and non-existence of others has led, in effect, to the mismanagement of the meagre resources available and the failure to secure others that are sorely needed.
Secondly, the lack of a single, unified and strategic response to the drug problem has meant that the war against drugs has been waged neither effectively nor on all fronts.
The South African National Drug Master Plan will act as the blueprint for South Africa's response to drug abuse. It will be the means by which existing resources may be harnessed and yet others marshalled, their services streamlined and guided, and will set out South Africa's national policies and priorities in the campaign against substance abuse. It will also substantially assist in ensuring
that a broader base of national and provincial departments take account of substance abuse issues in their activities and budgets.
It will, in short, act as the barometer of the commitment and performance of the South African Government and its citizens in the field of substance abuse.
In terms of the Prevention and Treatment of Drug Dependency Act of 1992, the first Drug Advisory Board (DAB) was established in November 1993 and, in 1995, it was replaced with the existing DAB. The functions of the DAB are to advise the Minister for Welfare and Population Development (the Minister) on matters pertaining to alcohol and drug abuse, and to plan, co-ordinate and promote measures relating to the prevention and combatting of drug abuse and the treatment of drug-dependent people.
In 1997, the Minister requested the DAB to develop a drug master plan for South Africa. Apart from the country's obvious need for such a plan, this step was in accordance with international practice.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) was established by means of a treaty signed by 12 member States who fall within the region. In terms of the treaty, SADC has eight objectives, all designed to overcome poverty and underdevelopment, and achieve common prosperity, peace and unity.
In 1996, SADC concluded a Protocol on Combating Illicit Drug Trafficking, stating its commitment to 'the establishment of a regional institutional framework for co-operation in combatting illicit drug supply, demand and corruption in Member States, through legislative and social policies'. In terms of this protocol, which South Africa has ratified, member states are required to participate in a 'joint concerted effort' to 'eradicate illicit drug production and trafficking' through 'the implementation of co-ordinated, comprehensive and integrated drug control and prevention programmes that address both supply and demand'. (Preamble to the protocol. These wide-ranging programmes are described in articles 1 through 9 of the protocol).
Against the above background, the DAB conducted extensive research into both national and international drug strategies in an effort to evolve a model that would be a suitable local model. A series of workshops led to the provisional drafting of a framework for a master plan, which was presented throughout the country for public comment.
While the general approach set out in that document met with a high degree of support, full account has been taken of the comments made in order to generate maximum agreement and commitment from those who will help to the strategy on the ground.
The vision is to build a drug-free society and to make a contribution to the global
problem of substance abuse.
South Africa has entered into a human rights culture and now, more than at any time in its history, we are in a position to devote our energies exclusively to the well-being of our citizens.
The Government has adopted a far-reaching strategy to create economic opportunities and a better life for all. This is a long-term process which will go a long way towards addressing the causes of substance abuse.
In the shorter term, the Government will focus on the areas of greatest need and risk.
Local research suggests that there are many reasons for misuse; that key factors include
unemployment; low self-esteem; educational failure; boredom and physical; psychological or
family problems. Even where the cause relates more to experimentation or enjoyment, or to
a shift from alcohol or tobacco, the fact is that overtly mind-altering substances have
greater pull than other activities. Many people misuse drugs because they do not have the
opportunity to lead fulfilling lives.
The South African National Drug Master Plan aims to bring about the reduction of substance abuse and its related harmful consequences. In order to address the drug problem effectively, however, there should be a balance between actions which bring about a decrease in the availability of drugs (control and law enforcement) and the demand for drugs (prevention, treatment and rehabilitation).
In order to achieve its aims, the Master Plan has identified five main areas of focus, namely:
A sixth, overriding and overarching goal has also been identified, namely communication.
The main objectives of the Master Plan's in these five areas are to:
The overarching objective of the Master Plan is to ensure that all educational material and other information disseminated is contextually correct, that is, in a form and language appropriate to the culture, language, level of education and socio-economic background of its intended recipients.
Figure 1. Schematic representation of the reporting structure.
COMMUNITIES |
PARLIAMENT |
CENTRAL DRUG AUTHORITY |
SECRETARIAT |
PROVINCIAL DRUG SUBSTANCE ACTION ABUSE FORUMS COMMITTEES |
The main proposals for action in support of these objectives are:
It is proposed that the Central Drug Authority have a similar composition, and its members will be appointed in the same manner as the DAB.
The Central Authority should have a high-profile head and its members should include representatives from the following institutions:
The Central Authority should also include representatives from each of the nine provinces from the provincial substance abuse forums.
Once Cabinet has approved the Master Plan, the primary function of the Central Drug Authority will be to monitor its implementation. In order to facilitate the integration of different government departments on the issue of substance abuse, such a body will be answerable to Parliament. It will, however, liaise and interact both with provincial fora and the Drug Action Committees.
The functions of the Central Drug Authority will include:
It is proposed that the Central Drug Authority implement the Master Plan in the following way:
It is proposed that these committees should be made up of senior representatives of the local magistrate's court, police, probation and correctional services, schools, local authorities, health authorities and community structures, which will ensure appropriate coverage of both rural and urban communities.
The committees may co-opt additional members with special skills, commitment or expertise, if, and when required. Representation of local, rural traditional authorities should be encouraged.
The committees should be set up initially by the local magistrate (or a senior representative) of each district (although geographical boundaries may be kept flexible for practical purposes), after which the committees may elect a chairperson.
Minimum resources will be required for the infrastructure of these committees as existing resources of the representative departments can be accessed. Meetings can be conducted after hours, if necessary, in unutilised court buildings.
The Drug Action Committees will ensure local action on the Drug Master Plan in each community and will inform and be kept informed.
Each Drug Action Committee will be charged with the task of :
It is proposed that Provincial Drug Forums involve all stakeholders concerned in the fields of education, community action, legislation and law enforcement, policy making, research and treatment.
In addition, the business community and any other body interested in addressing substance abuse can be involved.
It is recommended that such Forums have Executive Committee Members who include persons responsible for the following four portfolios: a) Treatment and Aftercare; b) Prevention and Education; c) Community Development; d) Legislation and Research and Information dissemination.
The main function of Provincial Drug Forums is to strengthen member organisations in carrying out their existing functions related to directly or indirectly addressing substance abuse, and to keep substance abuse high on the public/political agenda of the province.
An important function of a Provincial Drug Forums is to encourage networking and the effective flow of information between members of the forum.
When necessary, such a forum may act as a mouthpiece for member organisations.
With regard to the Drug Master Plan, Provincial Drug Forums will specifically work to put substance abuse on the public/political agenda, and to broadly assist the local Drug Action Committees in the execution of their tasks.
Successful implementation of a national drug control strategy will require adequate and sustained funding at all levels. In general, there needs to be a balance in spending between demand and supply reduction.
Increased collaboration between government and private and voluntary sectors is required. The fragmented response of the past involving as it does duplication of effort has been financially wasteful.
Where common goals exist, resources should be shared.
South Africa has a population of approximately 38 million people who are distributed over nine provinces and who range in population from 746 000 (Northern Cape) to 7 672 000 (KwaZulu-Natal). It is estimated that 55,4% of the population resides in urban areas and that the population has on average eight years of schooling or less, depending on the province in which they live.
There are 11 official languages, of which isiZulu, isiXhosa and Afrikaans are the most widely spoken first languages, followed by Sepedi and English. In addition, cultures and levels of literacy and economic well-being differ widely.
This cultural diversity that is South Africa makes it unique in the world, but also makes the communication (and formulation) of policies and information aimed at addressing substance abuse in the country more difficult. South Africa must define both the problem and its solution in South African terms.
The South African National Drug Master Plan
Drug issues manifest themselves at every level of the criminal justice system, from the level of the international trade in drugs, and the use of the proceeds of that trade for corrupt ends, right down to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Most crimes, however, are the culmination of a variety of factors (personal, situational, cultural and economic), and the precise relationship between substance abuse and crime is, therefore, hard to determine.
Essentially, crime is associated with both domains of the illicit drug phenomenon, namely supply and demand' and falls into the following three main categories:
There are five topics relevant to the discussion of substance abuse-related crime in South Africa: Legislation, Law Enforcement, the National Crime Prevention Strategy, Vision 2000 of the Department of Justice, and Decriminalisation.
The laws governing this field are:
South Africa has taken advantage of its new status in the international community. (see Area 5)
The South African Law Commission, in its report 'International Co-operation in Criminal Prosecutions', made a comprehensive study of international co-operation in criminal prosecutions.
The report is divided into five topics, namely-
The 1996 Acts referred to above have given effect to these recommendations.
A central office has been established within the Department of Justice which will receive and channel letters of request to and from foreign states.
The Commonwealth Scheme for the Rendition of Fugitive Offenders is a policy guideline to regulate extradition relations between members of the Commonwealth. The implemen-tation of the guidelines requires that members of the Commonwealth should bring their domestic legislation into line with the scheme, bringing about uniformity of legislation between members states, which then forms the basis for extradition relations between them without the existence of extradition treaties. With South Africa's return to the Common-wealth, the Extradition Amendment Act, 1996, amongst others, brings the Extradition Act, 1962, into line with the scheme.
The enactment of further legislation to define and criminalise money laundering, as well as to make provision for a Financial Intelligence Centre and Money Laundering Control Board, is envisaged. Legislation relating to organised crime syndicates and stronger mechanisms for asset forfeiture is also being considered at present.
The South African Narcotics Bureau (SANAB) was established in 1974 in order to combat the drug menace in an organised manner. During 1995, its activities were divided into crimes involving large drug trafficking syndicates, to be dealt with by the Organised Crime Project Investigations Unit, and the remainder of the drug dealing cases and cases of possession, to be handled by the traditional SANAB units.
SANAB underwent another significant restructuring in late 1996, which put all SANAB officers throughout the country back under the direction of the central office. SANAB officers have also been selected to fill the seven new international drug liaison officer positions and underwent diplomatic training in advance of their assignments abroad.
The functions of SANAB are to:
The South African Police Services (SAPS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the intelligence agencies (National Intelligence Agency, the South African Secret Service and Military Intelligence) aimed at supporting the SAPS in combating organised crime. National intelligence efforts are coordinated through the National Intelligence Coordinating Committee (NICOC).
The policies of the previous South African Government demanded a high level of internal and external controls which restricted movement of the majority of the population and involved the extensive use of the army in border control activities. This tended to limit the trafficking in narcotic substances, both within the country and across South Africa's borders. With regard to the criminal justice and correctional systems, considerable effort was also put into incarcerating offenders and very little effort went into their rehabilitation, or into crime prevention in general.
The National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS) was initiated by the Cabinet in March 1996 and is primarily a long-term programme aimed at creating conditions in which the opportunities and motivation for crime will be reduced, as well as improving the capacity of the criminal justice system to deal with crime. It is an ongoing programme of action which is being implemented by a wide range of Departments, including Justice, Welfare, Correctional Services, Defence, Intelligence and Safety and Security.
The NCPS has identified and prioritised seven key crime categories, namely:
The NCPS departments are developing strategic and operational coordination through the establishment of two committees: one dealing with the reduction of the illicit supply of and trafficking in narcotics, the other with the reduction of illicit demand. Information from these committees will be provided to the Central Drug Authority to assist with the refinement of its policies and plans, and in order to ensure that performance targets are adhered to.
The Department of Justice has drafted a framework for the transformation of the administration of justice in South Africa. The plan marks the start of an annual planning process and is intended to help monitor progress and identify changing circumstances and priorities.
Six key areas have been selected to form the foundation of the future South African Justice system namely:
In monitoring the attainment of these six strategic goals, performance indicators have been set, such as the ratio and time between:
The Department of Justice, in collaboration with other departments, also aims to increase the number of offenders referred to and entering treatment and other programmes by way of arrest referral schemes, the court process and post-sentencing provisions.
A witness protection programme is up and running to reduce the possibility of intimidation in, inter alia, drug-related offences and especially those involving organised crime syndicates.
Where substance abuse-related common interests and shared goals exist between Vision 2000 and the Master Plan, resources should be made available to the Central Drug Authority for the attainment of these goals.
The Department of Correctional Services is in the process of looking at the problem of drug abuse arrestees and prisoners.
Significant intervention can exist and research conducted into the crime-drug connection between arrested and incarcerated persons, many of whom go on to commit further crimes. Research conducted by Roche-Silva (October, 1996) on sentenced males has indicated that, before their sentence, offenders' way of life was generally characterised by prolonged high-risk drug practices. Most importantly, incarceration did not interrupt drug use, but redirected prearrest patterns.
An arrestee drug abuse monitoring programme would satisfy five broad aims namely to:
There has been much debate regarding the issue of whether or not fewer drug-related offences, such as the possession or use of cannabis, will or should be legalised. However, the issue of decriminalisation needs to be researched thoroughly to establish whether this is the way the matter should be dealt with in South Africa.
What is envisaged, however, is the development of suitable methods to deal with appropriate cases (for example, involving the once-off experimentation with drugs by a young person) outside the criminal justice system, with emphasis on education, treatment, aftercare, rehabilitation and social re-integration.
Harm reduction should not be confused with arguments about drug legalisation or decriminalisation.
As spelt out in an International Council on Alcohol and Addictions (ICAA) policy discussion paper, the focus of harm reduction is to reduce and prevent the harmful effects of the use of alcohol and other drugs (ICAA, 1994).
According to the ICAA, this goal can be pursued with many strategies including those focussed on drug-free living. Because it is unlikely that a totally 'drug-free' society would ever be attainable, approaches to harm reduction do not presume abstinence in the short term, but instead make provision for potentially controversial initiatives such as needle-exchange programmes to reduce the spread of HIV infection among intravenous drug users and methadone maintenance treatment to treat opium dependence.
The focus is on reducing the harm associated with drug use rather than on reducing or eliminating drugs use per se.
Approaches to secondary and tertiary prevention which have been referred to as 'harm reduction' should be considered as elements in an overall strategy to reach this goal, together with supply and approaches demand reduction.
The children of our country occupy a special place in the new democracy and in the heart of President Nelson Mandela.
Therefore on 16 June 1995, South Africa ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Declaration emanating from the World Summit for Children in December 1993, and in so doing committed itself to the principle of "First Call for Children" in all areas.
The Ministers of Health, Welfare, Education, Water Affairs and Forestry, Justice and Finance, were mandated to give effect to these international instruments.
The Department of Justice was mandated to deal with children in the criminal and civil justice system.
The Justice Sectoral Working Group which consists of representatives of the Departments of Justice (playing the leading role), Welfare, Correctional Services and the SAP Service, as well as the NGOs concerned and the United Nation Children's Fund (UNICEF), began functioning in 1995 and focuses, inter alia, on the
A new process has been developed which attempts to divert juvenile offenders in appropriate cases out of the criminal justice system and providing alternative forms of punishment or treatment. This process is particularly relevant in the area of juvenile substance abuse, and the need for more institutions which will serve as an alternative to imprisonment is crucial.
It is estimated that approximately 46% of the population of South Africa are aged 20 years and younger (Central Statistical Services, 1997). Using other data, it is estimated that approximately half the population are poor and half of them, again, are children.
There has been very little research into social and health consequences associated with substance abuse by young people in this country. Statistics obtained from treatment centres suggest that the use of drugs such as Ecstasy, LSD and Speed is more common among young people than adults. Patients in specialised treatment centres whose primary substance of abuse is alcohol tend to be older than those whose primary substance of abuse is the dagga/Mandrax ('white pipe") combination who, in turn, tend to be older than people whose primary substance of abuse is dagga on its own (Parry, Bhana and Bayley, 1998). Binge drinking among young people, especially males, is high (in excess of 25%) in many communities. Among the school-going youth, alcohol use appears to increase with age for both males and females (Flisher, Ziervogel, Chalton and Robertson, 1993).
Data taken from the South African Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (SACENDU) Project supports the view that youth issues need to be given prominence in a national drug strategy. For example:
In Cape Town, data taken from substance abuse treatment facilities suggests a trend towards a decreasing age of first use of alcohol and other drugs (Parry et al., 1998).
In a study using data from the United States (US) National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, Yamada, Kendix and Yamada (1996) found that increases in the incidence of frequent drinking, liquor and wine consumption, and frequent cannabis use, significantly reduce the probability of high school graduation.
Specific treatment services need to be targeted at young people as their needs are likely to be different from those of adults. For example, young people hold a dependent position in family and society; they are more influenced by peers and popular culture; they often need education or vocational training; and are more likely to be using other drugs.
The National Youth Commission (NYC) was established by the Youth Act, 1996, and is based in the Office of the Deputy President. This body's primary aim is to assist the government in planning a comprehensive youth development policy with reference, inter alia, to substance abuse.
There are a range of other initiatives directed towards preventing substance abuse among young people in South Africa. The following is a list of some of them:
In May 1995, the national and provincial Departments of Welfare embarked upon a national school-based education initiative, 'I'm addicted to life', aimed at teenagers between the ages of 11 and 20 years. The television series involved 13 x 9 minute episodes and 13 x 2 minute endorsements which were flighted in the afternoons and evenings. Thirteen 3 minute radio spots in 11 languages were also produced. In addition, 13 x 30 second personality endorsements were produced and flighted. Anti-drug posters were produced and distributed to every school in the country and an anti-drug pledge campaign was initiated. Information leaflets were also produced and distributed to schools. The campaign has also been expanded to include a video and teacher's manual.
The 'Go Project' is in operation and aims to assess juveniles in an attempt to prevent their incarceration in prisons or places of safety whilst they are awaiting trial.
This project acknowledges the need to protect juvenile substance abuse offenders from the prison environment which is, unfortunately, conducive to substance abuse.
Legislative changes now seek to ensure that children under the age of 18 years may not be kept in a prisons, lock-ups or police cells for more than 24 hours prior to be taken before a court.
In 1997, 3 000 juveniles were diverted out of the system by the Department of Social Welfare in collaboration with the Department of Justice.
The national Department of Education is currently involved in implementing its Curriculum 2005 initiative. This includes a life skills education component which seeks to address adolescent risk behaviours, such as drug use and teenage sexuality, as part of a holistic initiative aimed at the healthy development of young people. The International Centre for Alcohol Policies (ICAP), which is based in Washington, is also working with the provincial Department of Education in the North West Province (and in Botswana) to design a life skills education programme aimed at primary school-age children. The project specifically involves (i) developing life skills materials for use in five schools, (ii) training teachers in the use of these materials, and (iii) testing these materials in the teacher's classroom for one academic year.
The Culture of Learning, Teaching and Service (COLTS) Campaign, initiated by President Nelson Mandela in February 997, addresses, inter alia, crime and substance abuse within the context of schools.
The Master Plan encourages schools and institutions in Further Education and Training (FET) and Higher Educational (HE) to take responsibility for substance abuse problems found amongst their learners. Too often, the problem presented by a learners who is involved in substance abuse or trafficking is 'solved' through expulsion. Rather than solve the problem, this unfortunate course of action merely displaces it and, in certain instances, aggravates it. Wherever possible, therefore, drugs must be tackled together in the classroom rather than the court room, and schools or lecture rooms should have their own internal disciplinary systems and programmes.
The effective management of the school and institutional environment is an essential contribution to drug control.
Soul City is a multi-media health education/counter-advertising initiative seeking to address a range of risk behaviours, including alcohol and smoking, through a very popular prime-time sitcom aired on TV as well as on radio (in the vernacular), and via the print media (a handbook serialised in newspapers).
As a result of an evaluation of the second series of Soul City on tobacco, AIDS, TB and housing, [Made by CASE, the Community Agency for Social Enquiry] it was noted that:
Association for Responsible Alcohol (ARA) has been involved in running the Buddy Campaign on university and technikon campuses for almost a decade. The objective is to focus the minds of the youth on the dangers of alcohol misuse and abuse. ARA members have also supported life skills education programmes around the country. These programmes reach some 1 000 schools. The Buddy Campaign was evaluated by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) in 1993 and it was noted that there was an increase in the awareness of the dangers of alcohol misuse among young people as a result of the programme.
The Programmes of Primary Prevention through Stories (POPPETS) programme is aimed at the pre-primary and early primary school child (primarily 5 - 9 years old). Puppets, stories and games are used to educate the child. Information on alcohol and drugs is provided as well as skills training to address issues such as self-image and peer pressure. The Teenagers Against Drug Abuse (TADA) programme involves the setting- up of youth action groups in high schools or youth groups (after hours). It aims to prevent substance abuse among peers and promotes exciting alternatives. SANCA acts as the facilitator, providing groups with training and support. Young people are encouraged to take an increasingly greater responsibility for running the TADA groups.
A new initiative has been started in Cape Town and should involve approximately
50 schools. The programme is being implemented by the Cape Town Drug Counselling Centre (CTDCC) with funding from USAID, the Royal Netherlands Embassy, and the Transitional Development Trust (TNDT). The key components of this programme comprise:
The primary strengths of this initiative are :
This project runs in various parts of the country. In the Western Cape Province alone, this programme is currently running in over 45 schools. The Lions Quest Skills for Adolescents Programme is designed to combat alcohol and drug abuse among young people by teaching them social life skills. The focus of the programme is not on the substance abuse problem but rather on the proposed causes of the problem; issues such as poor self-image, inability to resist peer pressure, poor family relationships, lack of decision-making skills and poor communication ability. The main objective is, therefore, to teach adolescent youth pro-social skills, thereby giving them the opportunity to be who and what they want to be.
Many other school-based and after-school initiatives have been established by various governmental organisations and NGOs. Many involve one-off lectures. Some include evaluation forms which are filled in by the students, and which assess the quality of the programme in terms of whether the students found the input useful. A number of these programmes are listed below by the agency providing the service in the schools:
There are various programmes for street children designed to address the many problems facing them, including substance abuse, for example Street Wise in Johannesburg and the Homestead Programme in Cape Town.
The Department of Health is currently working on the following projects:
Alcohol Safety Schools have been established in various parts of the country. Talks and video presentations are given to individuals who have been referred by the courts.
Although coordinating structures exist in respect of the approach towards the youth, the Master Plan will seek to refine the various strategies and monitor performance.
Too often the accusation is levelled by the communities that nothing is being done for the children. The Master Plan will seek to inform parents on an annual basis of what is being done by everyone.
Major gaps still exist with regard to a comprehensive approach to the prevention of youth substance abuse, especially in the rural areas.
It must always be remembered, however, that the State can assist, but never take the place of the parents. Parents can only be helped to help themselves.
Children are not born drug abusers and it remains the task of parents to teach their children values during the early formative, years before peer pressure and other influences intervene.
Substance abuse has a negative impact on many areas of individual and community life including health, security and the economy. Local research has shown
The impact of substance abuse use goes well beyond the issues covered here, however, and affects important areas such as school performance, health, family life, productivity, and safety and security.
In the past, State efforts to address substance abuse have focused largely on control measures falling under the jurisdiction of the law enforcement and justice sectors. In addition, the State, through welfare agencies such as SANCA, provided resources for the treatment of people suffering from substance abuse problems.
The Resource Directory on Services and Facilities for the Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse (published during November 1997 by the Department of Welfare) shows a wide network of public and private substance abuse treatment facilities (see Figure 2), including some
There are numerous shortcomings in the provision of services (Parry and Bennetts, 1998):
Services are typically provided mainly by social workers, as well as by nurses, doctors and other health workers and several of the centres are run by religious organisations.
Traditional healers also provide treatment for people with problems of abuse and dependence, although very little is known about the patients they see or the nature of the treatment they provide.
Figure 2. Number of treatment and rehabilitation facilities (by province)
| Province | Support/Aftercare | In-patient/Half-way houses | Community Services | Provincial/ Private and Psychiatric Hospitals | Detox facilities |
| Eastern Cape | 22 | 4 | 5 | 14 | - |
| Free State | 30 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| Gauteng | 49 | 4 | 24 | 17 | 2 |
| KwaZulu-Natal | 22 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 4 |
| Mpumalanga | 40 | 2 | 5 | 20 | 1 |
| Northern Cape | 11 | - | 3 | 6 | - |
| Northern Province | 7 | 2 | 2 | 42 | - |
| North West | 24 | 2 | 2 | 35 | 2 |
| Western Cape | 7 | 5 | 16 | 5 | 2 |
TOTAL |
302 |
27 |
67 |
147 |
12 |
| NOTE: Some facilities are listed in more than one
category (i.e. support/aftercare and community services) SOURCE: Information obtained from the Department of Welfare (1997). |
|||||
The Department of Health has positioned itself towards strengthening substance abuse prevention and management.
The Department of Welfare completed a lengthy series of consultative meetings and released the final draft of its National Substance Abuse Strategy in the second half of 1996 in a White Paper. The White Paper provides general guidelines on how the welfare sector will address substance abuse. In particular:
There are, however, certain specifics which still need to be addressed, such as the role of provincial and district level structures.
The Departments of Health and Welfare have also played an important role in setting up the South African Alliance for the Prevention of Substance Abuse (SAAPSA - see the Section on Research and the Dissemination of Information).
In October 1997, the Department of Transport initiated a comprehensive 'Arrive Alive' programme in three provinces focusing, inter alia, on drunk driving.
The department is also expected to pass legislation in 1998 reducing permissible blood alcohol concentration levels in drivers to 0, 05 g/100 ml and to 0, 02 g/100 ml for professional drivers. It is anticipated that breath alcohol testing will shortly be held to be admissible in evidence against so-called drunk drivers.
The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport will, in close co-operation and association with similar organisations elsewhere in the world, promote participation in sport free from the use of substances intended to artificially enhance sporting performances. This will be done in a manner consistent with protecting the well being of athletes as well as in line with the articles as stipulated in the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport Act, Act no 14 of 1997. Key focus areas will be the following:
(1) to facilitate a new economic system that ensures a competitive and fast-growing
economy which will create enough jobs for South Africans who are currently unemployed,
(2) to redistribute income and opportunities in favour of the poor,
(3) to develop a society in which sound health, education and other services are available
to all, and
(4) to create an environment in which homes are secure and places of work are productive.
These are goals ostensibly similar to those of the Reconstruction and (RDP), with GEAR
qualified as the economic enabling mechanism achieving them. Underlying GEAR are two core
strategies: the promotion of redistribution by creating jobs, and reallocating resources
through the National Budget. The two main objectives of GEAR are to facilitate economic
growth at 6% per annum by the year 2000, and to create 400 000 jobs per year.
The success of GEAR will go a long way towards indirectly addressing the causes of substance abuse, namely, poverty, lack of suitable substitute activities and personal fulfilment. However, where the Master Plan coincides with, or complements, the goals of GEAR, the Central Drug Authority will consider approaching GEAR for an allocation of resources.
There is a great need for training health and welfare professionals including doctors, nurses, social workers and psychologists on the topic of addiction. It is important that doctors and other health care workers, particularly primary health care nurses, recognise the part played by substance abuse in their patients' problems, and are able to deal with these problems in a non-judgmental way.
Professionals from other sectors, such as the police, personnel officers, clergy, lawyers, correctional service officials, prosecutors and teachers also need to be trained. This should, for example, include training in how to recognise abuse and dependence and where to refer persons in need of treatment and rehabilitation. The Master Plan proposes that such a training course be included in as wide a range of curricula as possible.
The lack of appropriate training in the subject of substance abuse has also led to unsatisfactory and confusing results and consequences. The Master Plan proposes that a professional licensing or qualification board be constituted with accredited standards of skills training in the various aspects of 'addictive management'.
Basic requirements of appropriate training in this field are professionalism of teaching staff, the setting of clear objectives, the teaching of systematic assessment, teaching of motivational skills and the development of relationships of trust. Training requires adequate materials, extensive practical experience in drug abuse and adequate communica-tion skills as well as a proper basis for providing adequate funding for logistics and resources.
Rational policy-making about drugs, whether at the international, national or community level, requires a detailed knowledge of the profile of problems for the user and for others associated with particular drugs. The profile will vary from place to place, as well as over time, and a programme of epidemiological monitoring, both of the patterns of harm and of patterns of use, will be an important part of the process. Monitoring is needed, not only to establish the extent of the need for services, and for prevention programmes, but also to identify ways in which particular kinds of drug-related harm can be reduced. [World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Drug Dependence, 1993].
This approach was reaffirmed by the United Nations (UN) Declaration on the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction, ratified at the General Assembly's special session on drugs in New York in June 1998 (Annexure 1).
Historically, South Africa has not had very reliable systems in place to facilitate the collection of data relating to substance use. To date, much of the available information has come from ad hoc cross-sectional research studies often conducted in a single location and from information on police arrests and seizures. This has been supplemented by occasional national surveys.
There are large gaps in our knowledge in important areas such as the prevalence of drug use by different groups, in different parts of the country; the economic costs of substance abuse to the country; the relationship between substance abuse and important national issues (e.g. HIV/AIDS, TB, crime, youth development and poverty); effective community-based intervention approaches and the impact of current policies.
The following categories of research are required:
Implementation of an effective Drug Master Plan will also require the development and maintenance of sophisticated information systems at various levels namely:
The Integrated Justice System Project will lay the foundation for the smooth flow of information between the criminal justice departments.
Several new systems have been initiated which should lead to more valid and reliable information on substance abuse in future. These include:
In general, there is a need to improve the management and coordination of substance abuse research in South Africa, to ensure that adequate funding is secured to support research efforts, and to ensure the widespread dissemination of the findings of locally derived research.
As stated previously, the illicit drug dilemma is not that of South(ern) Africa alone, but is one which virtually no country has been spared. Not only does we each country have its own problems of drug availability, each one is also linked in the elaborate web woven by drug producers and traffickers as they ply their trade in an increasingly well-policed and competitive market. Raw materials produced in one country are often processed, refined and sold in yet others.
Though seizures and statistics are elusive, there is growing concern over cocaine smuggled from South America (particularly Brazil) to South Africa, either directly or through Angola, Namibia, or Zimbabwe. Large amounts of this cocaine are re-exported to Europe. West African trafficking organisations control an estimated 80 percent of this trade.
Heroin from Southwest and Southeast Asia is also routed to South Africa for onward shipment to Europe and the US. West African, Chinese, Indian and Pakistani groups are thought to be active in heroin smuggling.
South Africa is the destination for Mandrax smuggled from India through other Eastern and Southern African countries. According to SANAB, 80 percent of the Mandrax produced worldwide is consumed in South Africa.
It is important to recognise the global orientation of the illicit drug problem and the need for South Africa to work jointly with the international community to develop an effective global strategy.
South Africa has 96 official ports of entry, including 36 designated international airports, which contribute to poor border controls and easy access. In April 1997, the Minister for Safety and Security announced strict measures to be adopted in an effort to tighten South Africa's ports of entry and thereby stem the influx of drugs and arms (Rantao, 1997). In terms of these measures, bulk commercial traffic is to be cleared through only 19 of the 52 existing land border posts and cargo at only 10 of the 36 airports. This is part of the NCPS programme to generally tighten and improve border control.
Given increasing trade and other links with African countries, as well as cross-border crime and drug trafficking in the continent, efforts should be made to strengthen ties with agencies actively working in the field of substance abuse field throughout Africa. Common regional strategies should be developed and legal instruments harmonised to enable law enforcement agencies to act effectively (Ryan, 1997). In additional, pressure should be exerted on countries which are known conduits for drugs in Africa, to desist from such activities and implement effective controls (Cilliers, 1994).
Integration of policies across countries in the Southern Africa sub-region, in addition, will (i) assist the harmonisation of excise taxes on alcohol products which, in turn, would (ii) reduce the likelihood of cross-border smuggling, and (iii), if issues such as controls over the advertising of alcohol products on television programmes are beamed into neighbouring countries, it would be mutually beneficial.
Effective co-operation in investigation and prosecutions is essential in international actions taken to combat drug trafficking.
In November 1995, new regulations were announced by the Minister of Justice which would strengthen international co-operation in the fight against drug trafficking by setting up an administrative framework in terms of which confiscation and restraint orders made in certain designated countries can be enforced in South Africa and vice versa.
The international nature of many drug offences also raises the issue of transferring criminal proceedings from one state to another where a more appropriate forum could be provided. The international community is giving thought to devising a method for the consolidation of different drug-trafficking cases committed in different states, but involving the same people.
Effective co-operation in investigation and prosecutions is essential in international actions taken to combat drug trafficking. Moreover, in terms of a multi-level approach to addressing substance abuse it is crucial that we strengthen appropriate links with international agencies are strengthered.
On a global level, drug abuse is escalating and the drug problem has also become increasingly complex. It can no longer be argued that drug abuse is taking place only among marginalised groups, or mainly in the Western industrialised world. Drug abuse emerges as a means of survival for underprivileged young people who are in contact with street life and crime. It also forms part of a youth subculture which is quickly spreading a benign image of drugs around the globe.
The data referred to here was provided by the UNDCP.
International illicit drug consumption is likely to involve 3,3 - 4,1 percent of the world's population.
From a health perspective, the most serious drug of abuse is heroin. Its consumption is relatively small, 0.14 percent (8 million people of the world population); however, its use, is increasing.
Cocaine is more widespread in terms of the total number of consumers that is 0,23 percent (13 million people of the world population).
Cannabis is the most widely-abused drug, consumed by 2,5 percent of the world population (about 140 million people).
Although the overwhelming majority of illicit drugs currently consumed are still derived from plants or plant products that have been synthetically modified, a wave of abuse of synthetic amphetamine type stimulants (ATS) has been reported in recent years, with a 16 percent average annual increase in quantities seized. Today, some 30 million people or 0,5 percent of the global population consumes ATS. There appears to be a perception widely spread through the media and directed specifically at younger people, that these substances are 'fashionable' and safe.
The question of volatile substances, such as glue, is also a matter of concern, as these substances are not subject to international control measures. They substances may function as a gateway to narcotics and psychotropic substances and young people, especially those living in difficult circumstances such as street children are particularly vulnerable. For millions of children living on the streets, sniffing volatile substances is both a mental and physical escape.
A key factor affecting illicit drug demand is that the age of initiation is falling almost every year and the world community is in the process of placing a stronger emphasis on demand reduction strategies.
The problems of ATS are relatively new in South Africa and many countries. The international community is concerned about the lack of global awareness and the limited and inconsistent responses to it.
The world community is concerned that precursors, - the necessary substances for the production of drugs, - are trafficked as widely as the illicit drugs themselves. Precursors have a wide range of licit industrial uses and form part of licit international trade. Effective monitoring can only be successful with the close cooperation of industry. Diversion of precursor chemicals used to manufacture illicit drugs has become a serious challenge to international drug control efforts.
Chemical monitoring is not only an international obligation in terms of the 1988 Convention, but is also a new and effective tool to assist in supplying reduction efforts and, in particular, illicit laboratory investigations.
Twenty-two (22) chemicals have been identified by Article 12 of the 1988 convention as being required for illicit manufacture, while an additional 14 have been added as being of particular importance on the South African drug scene. In order to obtain these chemicals required, the trafficker is forced to make contact with legitimate commerce in the form of the chemical industry. Where sufficient controls are exercised over that licit market, it becomes possible for law enforcement either to prevent the procurement of the chemicals or to make a controlled delivery of the chemicals with an ultimate view to identifying an illicit laboratory and effecting arrests.
Four main areas have been identified in the country as being important to the national chemical trade, namely Eastern Cape (Port Elizabeth), Gauteng (Johannesburg), KwaZulu-Natal (Durban) and Western Cape (Cape Town).
Successes have been achieved through the current monitoring programme but difficulties were encountered when the less scrupulous members of the industry were involved, highlighting the need for a regulated and formal approach to chemical monitoring in the country.
South Africa requires:
The international community is committed to the eradication of illicit crops.
Significant successes have been achieved in the last ten years as alternative development programmes, complemented by law enforcement measures, succeeded in reducing illicit cultivation. Thousands of families depend on the growing of cannabis, opium poppy and coca leaf for their livelihood.
In a significant development for South Africa and the rest of Africa, the UN has recently recognized that areas where the cannabis plant is cultivated should be considered for alternative development.
South Africa has not evolved an alternative development policy but requires one.
The laundering of money derived from illicit drug trafficking and other serious crimes has expanded throughout the world.
Governments of the world are of the opinion that countering money laundering remains one of the most important initiatives in countering illicit drug trafficking.
The international community is unanimous in its view that without inter-state co-operation, few or no international instruments can be implemented.
Drug trafficking organisations usually operate in several countries with raw materials produced in one country, processed and refined in another, transported through other states and distributed in yet others.
The international community is considering methods of consolidating of different drug trafficking cases involving the same persons, although the crimes might have been committed in one or more states.
The international community has also considered further complementary measures to be developed in areas such as the protection of judges and witnesses.
South Africa has the legislative frame-work to negotiate further agreements in respect of international legal co-operation, and is considering legislation providing for the crimina-lisation of money laundering. In this area, all the aspects of money laundering are not addressed.
As stated above, the enactment of further legislation to define and criminalise money laundering, as well as to make provision for a Financial Intelligence Centre and Money Laundering Control Board, is under consideration.
The UN helps countries find innovative ways of controlling the supply of and demand for drugs.
The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (UNCND) is the main policy-making body on all international drug control matters.
South Africa is an elected member of this commission.
The (INCB) strives to restrict the availability of drugs for medical and scientific purposes, to prevent their diversion into illegal channels and to combat illicit trafficking.
All UN drug control activities are coordinated by the UNDCP.
There are Field Offices in the following countries: Afghanistan, Barbados, Bolivia, Colombia, Egypt, India, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Laos, Mexico, Mayanmar, Pakistan, Peru, Russia, Senegal, Nigeria, Thailand, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, New York and Brussels. The UNDCP established a field office for the sub-Saharan region in South Africa in July 1998.
South Africa has been involved in a few UNDCP Projects, benefiting from UNDCP funds, examples of which:
The international drug control system is governed by a series of United Nations treaties.
These treaties require that governments exercise control over the production and distribution of narcotic and psychotropic substances, combat drug abuse and illicit trafficking, maintain the necessary administrative machinery and report to international organs on their actions.
Existing treaties are: the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, which established the INCB; The Single Convention was amended by the 1972 Protocol; the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances; and the 1988 UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
Status of treaty adherence in the world is as follows:
-160 countries, including South Africa, are parties to the 1961 Convention.
-145 countries, including South Africa, are parties to the 1972 Protocol.
-152 countries, including South Africa, are parties to the 1971 Convention.
-142 countries are parties to the 1988 Convention. It is expected that South Africa will
accede during the course of this year.
South Africa is also a signatory to the Protocol on Combating Illicit Drug Trafficking in the SADC region.
South Africa is unable to legalise drugs due to its ratification of the above-mentioned instruments.
The need to protect children from the abuse of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances was emphasised in Article 33 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. South Africa ratified this convention in June 1995.
South Africa signed the declaration emanating from the World Summit for Children in December 1993, and in so doing committed itself to the principle of First Call for Children in all areas. UNICEF is involved with the government in implementing the goals of these instruments.
Governments, including South Africa, cooperate in the following way with the UN and the international community:
It is the duty of this Board to promote government compliance with the treaties and to assist governments in this effort.
It is also the task of the INCB to ensure that adequate drug supplies are available for licit purposes and that leakage to illicit trafficking does not occur. Control over the flow of narcotics is based on information provided by governments to the INCB.
Import certificates and export authorisation ensure the accounting for the legal shipments of narcotic drugs needed for licit purposes.
If a state imports more than its estimates of narcotics needs, the INCB notifies the exporting parties, which are then bound to cease further shipments.
In South Africa, the Department of Health and the SAPS are responsible for reporting to the INCB.
Governments are also asked to report to the Secretary-General on drug seizures under their jurisdiction. Governments are also requested to report the development of any new synthetic drugs and trends in drug behavioural patterns. The Departments of Welfare, Justice, Health and the South African Police Service provide regular reports to the United Nations in this regard.
This strategy is called a Comprehensive Multi-disciplinary Outline, and is still in place as the UN's strategy. It comprises:
- -prevention and reduction of illicit demand;
- -control of supply;
- -action against illicit trafficking; and
- -treatment and rehabilitation.
Each governments is required to complete an annual questionnaire on the implementation of this strategy annually.
The results of this questionnaire are then processed in a document which serves as a background for discussion during the regular sessions of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs.
This commission, which is the main international policy-making body on the issue of drugs in the UN system, considers the document each year and makes recommendations and adopts resolutions to improve the implementation of the Comprehensive Multi-disciplinary Outline.
South African reports to the UN on its activities in terms of this strategy on a regular basis.
Governments are also required to report regularly on the implementation of this Programme. South Africa, where possible, co-operates with the United Nations in this regard.
The drug strategies of the UN also encourage regional co-operation. Examples of regional initiatives where South Africa is closely involved are:
SARPCCO was established to promote co-operation amongst the police agencies within SADC countries. There is direct liaison between SANAB and the Drug Enforcement Agencies within the SADC.
In June 1998 the UN held a Special Session on the issue of drugs and the General Assembly adopted a Political Declaration and the draft Declaration on the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction (Annexures 2 and 1).
The Declaration on the Guiding Principles of Demand Reduction indicates the priority policies and strategies that require translation into a commitment to action drastically reduce drug demand worldwide by the year 2008.
In South Africa, the Department of Welfare has taken a step in this direction by adopting a White Paper which includes a National Substance Abuse Strategy covering the areas of prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, information and research.
The new political declaration sets out a comprehensive global strategy designed to be implemented by the year 2008.
It reaffirms the world's commitment to overcome the drug problem and focusses on the promotion of judicial co-operation and the international adoption of appropriate legislation for money-laundering amongst the member countries. The year 2003 is set as a target date for these objectives. The document also covers the elimination or significant reduction of illicit cultivation of narcotic crops and the reduction of the manufacturing, trafficking and abuse of ATS, and sets the year 2008 as a target date for these aims.
Of significance not only for South Africa, but also for Africa, is that, "of ..... for Africa, is that the UN recognized, for the first time, that areas where the cannabisplant is cultivated, should be considered for alternative development programmes. Previously, attention was given only to the cultivation areas of coca leaf and opium poppy."
Although many South African families are dependent on cultivation of cannabis for their livelihood, South Africa has no policy regarding alternative development.
Close operational ties exist between the SAPS (in particular, SANAB) and the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol). One very successful area of co-operation has been the use of the Interpol X400 system to circulate the identities of potential couriers employed by drug traffickers, in order to alert the law enforcement agencies of other countries.
South Africa hosts Drug Liaison Officers (DLOs) from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Customs, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and from the United Kingdom (UK). The mandate of these DLOs is to identify the impact of South African drug-trafficking activities on their countries and liaise with SANAB for assistance and possible joint investigations. They also facilitate drug enforcement training provided by their respective countries. SANAB has received training in Harbour and Airport Interdiction, Drug Enforcement, money laundering and financial investigations from the USA, United Kingdom (UK), Germany and France.
Establishing a Drug Master Plan should not be seen as the end of a process, but rather the beginning.
In essence, the challenge which faces South Africa is to translate this well-intentioned Master Plan into a tangible reality. It is this challenge which previous national plans or strategies have failed to meet, not so much because of their own fatal flaws, but rather because of a lack of existing resources which, in addition, were not properly harnessed and the lack of political commitment to implement those plans.
The new South African democracy has created a human rights culture and with it a political will to improve the quality of life of all its citizens.
Addressing the socio-economic problems facing the country today is an awesome task. In the longer term, however, the failure to address substance abuse adequately could jeopardise the attainment of real reconstruction and development in South Africa: while there is a need for a house for every family, school books for every pupil, a hospital bed for every patient and a monthly pension for the aged, it should never be forgotten that drug misuse blights individual lives, undermines families and damages whole communities.
Substance abuse is a unique social evil which deserves a special priority of its own.
South Africa deserves this Master Plan. Furthermore, the plan deserves to be translated into successful action.
The persistent or sporadic excessive drug use inconsistent with or unrelated to acceptable medical practice.
Substances frequently used in the illicit manufacturing of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances as defined in Article 12 of the 1988 UN Convention Against Illicit Drugs and Psychotropic Substances mentioned in Table I and Table II annexed to the said Convention.
Community-based treatment refers to programmes or initiatives that arise out of the needs of a particular community, (through a needs assessment) and by identifying and utilising existing infra-structures in order to provide for these needs.
A general term used to describe policies or programmes directed at reducing the consumer demand for psychoactive drugs. It is applied primarily to illicit drugs, particularly with reference to education, treatment and rehabilitation strategies, as opposed to law enforcement strategies that aim to interdict the production and distribution of drugs.
A person is dependent on a drug or alcohol when it becomes very difficult or even impossible for him/her to refrain from taking the drug/alcohol without help, after having taken it regularly for a period of time. The dependence may be physical or psychological or both.
A novel chemical substance with psychoactive properties, synthesized specifically to be sold on the illicit market and to circumvent regulations on controlled substances. These regulations now commonly cover novel and possible analogues of existing psychoactive substance.
A term of varied usage. In medicine, it refers to any substance with the potential to prevent or cure disease or enhance physical or mental welfare, and in pharmacology to any chemical agent that alters the biochemical or physiological processes of tissues or organisms. In common usage, the term often refers specifically to psychoactive drugs, and often, even more specifically, to illicit drugs, of which there is non-medical use in addition to medical use.
The regulation, by a system of laws and agencies, of the production, distribution, sale and use of specific psychoactive drugs (controlled substances) locally, nationally, or internationally. Alternatively as an equivalent to drug policy in the context of psychoactive drugs, the aggregate of policies designed to affect the supply and/or the demand for illicit drugs, locally or nationally, including education, treatment, control and other programmes and policies.
A Master Plan is a single document, adopted by Government, outlining all national concerns in Drug Control.
Entail drug, alcohol, chemical substances, or psychoactive substances
The analysis of body fluids, (such as blood, urine, or saliva) hair, or other tissue for the presence of one or more psychoactive substances.
A therapeutic strategy that combines early detection of hazardous or harmful substance use and treatment of those involved. Treatment is offered or provided prior to patients presenting of their own volition and in many cases before they become aware that their substance use may cause problems. It is directed particularly at individuals who have not developed a physical dependency or major psycho-social complications.
A harm-reduction philosophy emphasises the development of policies and programmes that focus directly on reducing the social, economic and health-related harm, resulting from the use of alcohol or drugs.
A psychoactive substance, the production, sale or use, of which is prohibited.
A drug that is legally available by medical prescription in the jurisdiction in question, or, sometimes a drug legally available without medical prescription.
Engaging directly or indirectly in a transaction that involves money or property which is proceeds of crime, or receiving, processing, conceiving, disguising, transforming, converting, disposing of, removing from, bringing into any territory, money or property which is the proceeds of crime.
Prevention is a proactive process that empowers individuals and systems to meet the challenges of life's events and transitions by creating and reinforcing conditions that promote healthy behaviours and lifestyles. It generally requires three levels of action: Primary prevention (focuses on altering the individual and the environment in such a way as to reduce the initial risk of developing substance abuse), secondary prevention (focuses on early identification of persons who are at risk of developing substance abuse and intervening in such a way as to arrest progress); and tertiary prevention (focuses on treatment of the person who has developed a drug dependency).
The term substance abuse includes the misuse and abuse of legal substances such as nicotine, alcohol, over-the counter drugs, prescribed drugs, alcohol concoctions, indigenous plants, solvents, inhalants, as well as the use of illicit drugs.
A general term used to refer to policies or programmes aiming to interdict the production and distribution of drugs, particularly law enforcement strategies for reducing the supply of illicit drugs.
Treatment is a process aimed at promoting the quality of life of the drug dependant and his/her system (husband/wife, family members and significant other important persons in his/her life) with the help of a multi-professional team.
Young people refer to both child and youth and this could go up to 30 years of age.
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