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By Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and Drug Network (ZCLDN)
The global community on August 31 commemorates International Overdose Awareness Day, an annual campaign meant to end overdose, remember without stigma those who have died can acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind.
International Overdose Awareness Day raises awareness of overdose, which is one of the world’s worst public health crises and stimulates action and discussion about evidence-based overdose prevention and drug policy.
The campaign acknowledges the profound grief felt by families and friends whose loved ones have died or suffered permanent injury from a drug overdose.
This year’s commemorations are running under the theme Time to Remember. Time to Act.
Zimbabwe has seen an increase in drug and substance use, especially the use of Crystal Meth during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Other commonly used substances in Zimbabwe include glue, Broncleer, mangemba, cane sprit, marijuana, codeine and methamphetamine (crystal meth).
All drugs, including alcohol, can cause an overdose and that is when a person has more of a drug, or a combination of drugs than their body could manage. Opioids and stimulants are the most common group of drugs that cause drug-induced deaths. Opioids include commonly prescribed medications such as oxycodone and codeine, as well as illegal drugs like heroin. A stimulant overdose can occur from drugs like methamphetamine (Crystal Meth).
Although there is no official data on drug-induced deaths in Zimbabwe, anecdotal evidence points to a lot of fatalities due to overdose as people who use and inject drugs would want to stay high and take more drugs than their bodies could manage.
As part of commemorating International Overdose Awareness Day, Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and Drug Network (ZCLDN) is calling for the provision of opportunities for people to publicly mourn their loved ones who could have died of an overdose in a safe environment without feeling guilt or shame.
We believe there is a need for the government and its development partners to share with communities the information about drug and substance overdose while at the same time sending a message to current and former people who use drugs that they are valued.
ZCLDN has been pushing for the enactment and implementation of the national drug policy, as well as the amendment of existing legal frameworks such as the Criminal Law (Codification & Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23 (57) and the Dangerous Drugs Act Chapter 15 which are outdated. As such, we believe International Overdose Awareness Day is a day meant to stimulate discussion about overdose prevention and drug policy.
ZCLDN calls for the promotion of harm reduction by increasing the availability and access to high-quality harm reduction services, decreasing the negative effects of substance use, and reducing stigma related to substance use and overdose.
There is a need to intensify overdose campaigns and help educate the people of Zimbabwe about the dangers of illicitly manufactured substances like musombodhiya, the risks and consequences of mixing drugs and the importance of reducing stigma around recovery and treatment options.
An update of the current list of controlled and illicit drugs and substances to include the new forms that have flooded the streets and communities so that there are no legal loopholes for peddlers, for instance, Mutoriro (Crystal Meth) and other hazy substances is critical.
We believe the integration of counselling, treatment and rehabilitation of people who use drugs with existing TB and HIV services is critical in ensuring their wellbeing and health.
ZCLDN is calling for the establishment of low threshold treatment, counselling and rehabilitation centres for people who use drugs.