Stress, lockdown has fuelled drug use among youth, says police

The Police Anti-Narcotics Department has attributed the increase in the use of narcotic drugs especially among many young people in Kampala to a number of factors including unemployment, stress, poverty and current state of lockdown among others.

Speaking to the media in Kampala, the acting Commissioner Anti-Narcotics, Tinka Zarugaba explained that many young people in Kampala have been using cocaine, heroin and other substances since the first lockdown, something he said has worsened the situation.

"From the time the country declared the pandemic, we are seeing a 14% increase in the usage of narcotics specifically in Kampala and these statistics were captured in Kampala and mainly among the youth," he said.

He noted that the data was collected from different police stations adding that the use of different types of narcotics among boda boda cyclists is high.

“Narcotics as you are well aware that they are medicines because most of them are stress relievers .When they use stress relievers, they tend to use them in overdose. For us we know that cannabis is illegal and if you are got in possession or usage of narcotic drugs, you are imprisoned for 10 years," he said.

The directorate of crime intelligence said that it has also reinforced its operations to handle the adverse effects of the lockdown especially sexual and domestic violence.

It noted that at least 200 detectives have been recruited to support the investigations which are likely to be tense based on the increasing complaints.