For those who have not heard, there is a drug that is picking up a lot of pace in the SA townships called Whoonga. This deadly concoction is made up of various things like rat poison, soap powder, and the main ingredient, Anti Retro-viral (AR-Vs), AIDS meds. The mix is then rolled with weed and smoked. The result, anxiousness, aggression and potentially deadly stomach cramps. The drug is said to be one of the most addictive in the world and can hook the user after first time use. Users can experience withdrawal symptoms with in hours after the first hit.
The drug was first picked up in Durban but is starting to spread to other parts of the country. Users are said the have such extreme cramps after using the drug that they have been robbing AIDS patients as they leave the clinic. There are reports of children as young as 14 being found using the drug. It is sold for less than R50 and is readily available. There are reports of AIDS patients selling their meds directly to dealers and users. There are even reports of people infecting themselves with AIDS intentionally so they can receive a free supply of the Anti-Retrovirals. The withdrawal is said to be potentially deadly and can take months of rehabilitation to recover from the addiction, if ever.
The question is how do we deal with this? Obviously the same approach used with drugs will not work. Weed is already illegal but the black market thrives on the desperation of the people of the townships. We cant ban rat poison and we definitely cannot ban the AR-Vs. This drug is still young but seems to be growing in popularity. Its negative impact is huge and it is impacting areas where education and awareness is already at a low and poverty is the name of the days meal. Drugs and specifically hard drugs can seem like the only way out i these areas and sometimes it is, in death. How would you propose SA approaches the problem? Authorities have already admitted that this is a difficult situation to solve as the AR-Vs can be the difference between life and death for so many. It seems once a new drug is concocted there is no stopping it.
