By Margaret Kamba 

Zimbabwe has been on a mission to ensure the case redress of the drugs and substance abuse menace currently bedeviling it. Numerous efforts are being made to reverse the case, which has not seen school drop outs, unwanted pregnancies but also increases crime amongst other social ills.

It is quite clear that this is perhaps the newest form of war against Zimbabwe by the enemy who is bent at nothing but to derail the economic agenda that has poised the country on an irreversible growth trajectory

How then does the drugs and substance abuse menace come in? A close analysis of the age groups affected by this menace makes it quite clear to understand that if left unabated, a whole generation will be lost, leaving an unimaginable gap. 

This is exacerbated by the urge to quickly retire able bodied men and women, there may be a slump. 

A whole workforce which should be building the country is a drunken force which thinks nothing but a beer bottle instead of making money.

In a recent community outreach programme at Spa Farm in Mazowe District, it was revealed that lack of productivity is rife thanks to this menace. 

VICAZ's Onwell Sisimai said from the engagement we realised a lot of theft, lack of productivity was witnessed as the workforce is high on drugs.

 "There is no production because vanhu vakadhakwa in the sense yekuti mushandi anonoka kuuya kubasa, akauya kubasa haana simba or haakwanisi kuita eight hours anenge asina simba. Humbavha, hurikuwanda, kurasika kwehunhu and vana varikuzvisungirira."

A testimony shared by one former drug user Gracious Matombe revealed that peer pressure and lack of confidence had driven him into drugs.

"I started doing drugs at secondary school and it was through a friend who said I was too quiet and needed to take Marijuana in order to be lively. Having seen how a lot of girls liked him, I was swayed into taking the drugs because I, too, wanted to be loved by the girls. Unfortunately I ended up getting expelled from school resulting at the end being a thief," he said.

"At this time a newly found friend who said we could make money by thieving introduced me to other drugs such as broncleer, crystal meth and cocaine because we were now making money."

Without much guidance from parents and guardians, many children are being left to suffer the sad tale of drugs and substance abuse effects which also include seclusion from community. 

Efforts to redress this situation has not only seen The First Lady, Her Excellency, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa embarking on a deliberate nhanga/gota/ixhiba programme which is aimed at bring back the hunhu/ubuntu values but give a sense of purpose to the boy and girl child.

The recently adopted programme to have child headed families find solace in Government will also go a long way in alleviating the plight of our children.