Who exactly are we getting rid of? Is it the drug dealers, the drugs, or the drug addicts? I have come to a realisation that we are so focused on ‘getting rid’, everywhere you go people are busy shouting we should get rid of drugs, but who is entirely responsible?

Yes, drug dealers sell and distribute drugs, what about drugs manufacturers, what about drug addicts, are we really going to ignore the whole food chain? I don’t think so, because by doing so we will be creating more problems for ourselves.

We can march and protest all we want but without proper planning and following the right protocol, all our cries for change will be in vain. The people who produce drugs do that for profit, as jobs are scarce. Drug dealers, or whatever you call them, distribute the product in order to get paid after sales, and the drug addicts are the consumer: this is a business transaction but that’s not the point we should be focused on.

We should ask ourselves: why do people take drugs? Depression, poverty, trauma, unemployment, dysfunctional backgrounds, failed visions, and mental health. This problem is deeper than we think and we should be sensitive when addressing it. At the end of the day, yes, we can get rid of drug distributors but we will never get rid of the addiction. Until this issue is handled in a proper manner and proper channels are being followed, until then we can march and chant.

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Tell us: What can help fight against drug distribution in South Africa?