Pretoria, South Africa - The third National Summit on Substance Abuse and Illicit Trafficking commenced on Tuesday, with a focus on developing sustainable and impactful strategies to combat drug and substance misuse in South Africa. Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu, who inaugurated the summit, emphasized the urgency of transitioning from discussing statistics to implementing effective solutions.
According to South African Government News Agency, the summit, themed “Towards sustainable, coordinated and impactful strategies for national drug and substance use in South Africa,” presents a critical platform for policymakers, researchers, government departments, and other key stakeholders to collaborate in addressing substance abuse challenges. The Minister stressed the importance of exchanging good practices, evidence-based interventions, and discussing socio-economic strategies to reduce the supply, demand, and harm caused by the use, misuse, and abuse of substances like alcohol, tobacco, and drugs.
The Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act of 2008 mandates the Department of Social Development to develop and support programmes aimed at preventing and treating substance abuse. The summit aims to leverage existing research and encourage further studies by academic institutions on the prevalence and impacts of substance misuse in the country.
Minister Zulu highlighted the multifaceted nature of the substance abuse issue, involving various sectors including education, healthcare, and families. She noted the devastating effects of substance abuse on South African society, contributing to problems like dysfunctional families, children living on the streets, teenage pregnancy, school dropouts, the spread of HIV/Aids, chronic disease, and gender-based violence, which she described as a second pandemic in the country.
Despite having globally envied policies, South Africa faces challenges in their successful implementation, necessitating more effective and drastic measures. The Minister informed that the Cabinet has approved the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Use Disorder Policy for public consultation, to be gazetted on November 17, 2023.
The summit represents a significant step in South Africa's efforts to address the pressing issue of substance abuse, with the Minister urging participants to contribute meaningfully to the policy development process.