Mrs Neo Masisi, the First Lady of the Republic of Botswana, hosted Mrs Muriel Zeender Berset, the spouse of the President of the Swiss Confederation, on the 7th February, 2023. As a result, the First Lady of Botswana organized a youth dialogue on the use of psychoactive drugs as part of one of her initiatives aimed at children, adolescents, and youth.
The First Lady highlighted the following in her speech:
- Drug use among youth in Botswana is a serious health concern, hence the initiative.
- The youth must take a stand and speak out about these issues.
- Parents and other stakeholders must be encouraged to take an active role in this fight.
The Botswana Police Service, Department of Narcotics Fauna and Flora Investigation Unit presented on the Overview of Drug Use in Botswana. They reported that the most abused drugs in Botswana by youth aged 19 to 39 years are Marijuana, CAT and Cocaine.
A panel discussion was held on the day, hosted by Mr Aplheus Lemme, An Addiction Professional and BAAP Member. Three panelists shared their experiences around the topic of Youth and Substance Use in Botswana.
A young Andry Ramoshabati, representing school going youth, explained that the factors that lead young students to indulge in drugs include:
- Peer pressure
- Social media
- Stressful environment (pressure from parents, pressure from school especially those who are preparing for final examinations such as form 3’s and form 5’s).
He concluded by lamenting that easy access to drugs makes it easier for school going youth to indulge in drugs.
Ditiro Meswele, representing out-of-school youth, expressed that triggers that lead out-of-school youth to indulge in drugs as follows:
- Parents' resentment of their children for failing final exams drives them to use drugs as a coping mechanism..
- Lack of parental guidance.
- Free time due to not attending school.
- No moral guidance.
Dr. Selemogwe-Matsetse (BAAP chairperson) spoke about the effects of drugs on children and adolescents, focusing on the physical, mental, family, and legal aspects. She made the following deliberations:
- An adolescent's brain is still developing, and drug use will interfere with its development.
- Drugs impair academic performance and lead to disruptive behavior at school and at home.
- Drug use has an impact on family relationships-Adolescents who use are more likely to steal items from their home to support their drug use.
- Drug use can cause hallucinations and delusions, as well as the eventual development of a mental illness.
- Hospitals, non-governmental organizations, private counselors, and a variety of other services are available to people who use substances.
Possible solutions from the Youth in the audience
- Parental involvement and guidance are essential.
- Education is required.
- Young people must exercise self-control.
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