It's time to end SA's war on drugs
Drugs have destroyed many lives, but wrongheaded governmental policies have destroyed many more, argue experts
Bhekisisa (South Africa)
Thursday, June 29, 2017
Thursday, June 29, 2017
Bluetooth nyaope, dagga, dealers and associated rhetoric often dominate the headlines on the issue of drug use. The supply and consumption of drugs — legal or illegal — is blamed for all manner of social ills, including crime, unemployment, corruption and the “moral decay” of communities. Meanwhile, political campaigns promise the unreachable dream of a “drug-free” community. In this context, human rights violations against people who use drugs and militarised approaches to policing, such as police carrying automated weapons when they raid drug dens and cordoning off whole communities to “search for drugs”, are often considered justified.
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