Rwanda National Police

Rwanda joined the rest of the world on Friday to mark the international day against 'Drug Abuse and trafficking,' observed every June 26 to raise awareness against the vice said to be still high and continue to pose a health danger to humanity especially the youth.

The day was set aside by the UN General Assembly in December 1987 as an expression of its determination and call to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse.

This year's international day against drug abuse and trafficking was held under the theme: "Let's develop our lives, our communities, our identity without drugs."

Activities to raise awareness against the vice in Rwanda were held in different parts of the country where various messages from leaders and former drug addicts were delivered to woe all Rwandans to stand up against use and trade of illicit drugs.

In Nyagatare, the event also included the destruction of illicit drugs worth over Rwf14.4 million, which were seized in different parts of the district in the last one month. The destroyed drugs include 640 liters of kanyanga and 316 cartons of chief Waragi, both banned gin in Rwanda, 17 kilogrammes of cannabis and one tone of a local plant called kabaruka.

Kabaruka, a raw material used in the manufacture of lotion and perfume, is in most cases intercepted while being trafficked out of the country.

The drug destruction exercise was also witnessed by prosecution officials.

The mayor of Nyagatare, Sabiti Atuhe Fred, while speaking to hundreds of youth and area residents and local leaders, noted that although there is a milestone in the fight against drug abuse in the district, much needs to be done to deal with tendencies of trade and consumption of banned gins.

He called upon residents to show solidarity in this campaign by strengthening working relations with Police to identify and report people connected to this illegal trade, in order to cut off the supply chain and consequently combat its consumption.

In Kigali where thousands of youth and residents converged at the Integrated Polytechnic Regional Centre (IPRC) in Kicukiro District, where the official event at the national level was held, James Kamanzi, the Deputy Director General of Rwanda Biomedical Centre, noted that fighting the scourge remains among the core plans of the centre.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2015 world report, drug use prevalence continues to be stable around the world, although an estimated 246 million people - slightly over 5 per cent of those aged 15 to 64 years worldwide - used an illicit drug in 2013.

The report further indicates some 27 million people have a problem as drug users. An estimated 1.65 million of people who inject drugs were living with HIV in 2013. Men are three times more likely than women to use cannabis and cocaine.

At least 200,000 drug users die annually, worldwide.

In Rwanda, a study conducted by the Ministry of Youth and ICT in collaboration with KIgali Health Institute in 2011 shows that at least 52.5 percent of the youth with age between 14 and 35 years old had consumed one or more substances at least once in their life time.

It further indicates that due to regular drug use, one young man or woman out of thirteen (7.46 %) is alcohol dependent, one young man or woman out of twenty (4.88%) suffered from nicotine dependence and one young man or woman out of forty (2.54%) was cannabis dependent.

According to statistics from RBC, in Ndera Neuropsychiatric Hospital, patients with alcohol and drugs induced mental illness were 440 (2.8%) in 2009, 994 (7.6%) in 2010, 989 (7.7) in 2011, and 1099 (8%) in 2012.

"Rwanda has stood up to fighting drug abuse because it is still a serious threat to young Rwandans. We can't sit and relax looking at how the vice is affecting the development of youngsters and this fight should be the responsibility of every citizen," Kamanzi said.

Rwanda has initiated measures including formulation of laws to penalize dealers and users.

Rwanda National Police, which is at the heart of implementing laws and policies against drug abuse, is also actively involved in carrying out countrywide awareness programmes on dangers associated with illicit drugs.

The RNP awareness in communities and schools is further meant to inform and educate community members, students, parents, and professionals about drugs and their negative effects to individuals and society.

Commissioner of Police (CP) Cyprien Gatete, Commissioner for Reserve Force in RNP, while speaking in Kicukiro, said that most of the common illicit drugs in Rwanda like cannabis and gin, are sneaked into Rwanda through illegal borders.

"We are seeing a positive response from the public who work with Police on daily basis by providing information on dealers," said CP Gatete.

He further observed that drug abuse has been identified as the source of other crimes including assault and domestic violence.

The awareness, he noted, has been extended to motorcyclists, youth and cyclists, who either facilitate trade or consume the drugs.

In his testimony, Emmanuel Rukundo, 29, one of the former drug addicts, narrated that he started smoking cannabis at the age of 14.

Rukundo explained that he also used to chew mayirungi and other soothing agents and that at some point, he got engaged to some people whom they orchestrated deals together to traffic narcotic drugs into the country.

He is now a music artists and owns an artistic shop in Kigali.