Strategies to Address Drug and Substance Abuse among Youths. A Cross-Sectional Study of Mbare, Harare

The study sought to investigate the strategies that can be adopted to curb the problem of drug abuse among youths in Mbare. The increasing exposure to the Zimbabwean environment, both as a manufacturer and market of hard-core drugs and substances, has changed the trend of drug abuse among youths in Mbare. The manufacture of drugs such as musombodia, meth, and mutoriro (local drugs made using various concoctions), as well as the entry of new drugs such as bronclee and codeine into Zimbabwe, has intensified the accessibility of drugs to youths, with the preceding result being a high rise in crime rates. Bronfenbrenner’s 1944 Ecological Systems Theory guided the research. The research used qualitative research, using Mbare, Matapi Flats as a case study. Snowballing and purposive sampling techniques were employed to meet the demands of the qualitative study, with a sample size of 20 participants consisting of police, community organisations and youths being selected. The findings showed that educational campaigns, counselling and rehabilitation, and empowerment programs are the major strategies used in the Mbare community to curb drug abuse among youths. The findings also showed that the successful implementation of evidence-based drug abuse prevention programs in communities depends on several factors, including community readiness, stakeholder collaboration, funding and resources, program adaptation and fidelity, program evaluation, and political and social support. The study findings indicate that youths face several hindrances while attempting to obtain substance use services and information. These hindrances include a deficiency in knowledge regarding the availability of services and supports, uncertainty regarding the suitability of services, and insufficiency of accessible data, necessitating comprehensive investigation. In conclusion, the research findings highlight the need for a multi-faceted approach to curbing drug abuse among youths. The approach should address the stigma surrounding substance use disorder and mental health issues, provide more relevant and persuasive public health messaging, enhance knowledge of the neurobiological aspects of addiction, and encourage peer support while addressing the normalization of substance use among youths.