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Reducing drug abuse: Everybody’s responsibility
Preventing drug abuse requires investing in young people through education, mentorship, skills training, employment and accessible treatment, writes Jaja Joice
Jaka Joice. (Courtesy)
By: Admin ., Journalist @New Vision
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OPINION
By Jaka Joice
Drug abuse is becoming an increasing concern in Uganda, particularly among adolescents and young adults. Among the substances raising concern is Mairungi. Its growing visibility in communities, workplaces and on the streets should concern us all.
A 2025 Makerere University study involving 315 young people aged 18–35 in Arua City found that 19.7 percent reported chewing Mairungi, with peer pressure, cultural norms and social acceptance among the factors associated with the practice.
Additionally, the wider picture is equally troubling. A study among adolescents in Kampala’s urban slums found that 34.9 percent reported illicit drug use, while 16.1 percent were high-risk alcohol users. The Uganda Police Force also reported 2,240 narcotics and drug cases in 2024, up from 2,113 in 2023, a six percent increase.
A 2025 Makerere University study involving 315 young people aged 18–35 in Arua City found that 19.7 percent reported chewing Mairungi, with peer pressure, cultural norms and social acceptance among the factors associated with the practice.
Additionally, the wider picture is equally troubling. A study among adolescents in Kampala’s urban slums found that 34.9 percent reported illicit drug use, while 16.1 percent were high-risk alcohol users. The Uganda Police Force also reported 2,240 narcotics and drug cases in 2024, up from 2,113 in 2023, a six percent increase.
Furthermore, the pressure is also felt in Uganda’s health system. Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital has reported a growing demand for mental health services, highlighting the need for early intervention, counselling and rehabilitation. The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act provides an important legal framework for controlling narcotic drugs and addressing drug-related offences.
The public should not treat every person who uses drugs simply as a criminal. The Uganda Harm Reduction Network has advocated for greater attention to public-health responses, including counselling, education and harm-reduction approaches. Prevention and recovery require both accountability and support. Preventing drug abuse is everybody’s responsibility.
NGOs, schools, churches, mosques and community leaders can provide education, counselling and mentorship. Parents must speak openly with their children about drugs, peer pressure and stress. Young people also need positive alternatives, including sports and recreation, skills training, mentorship, entrepreneurship and employment opportunities. Communities that depend on substances such as Mairungi for their livelihoods should also be supported to identify practical economic alternatives. Prevention will be more sustainable when families and communities have both knowledge and opportunities.
As we work hard towards reducing the availability of drugs, we must also address the conditions that make young people vulnerable to them. Supporting Uganda’s youth through education, mentorship, skills, recreation, employment and accessible treatment is one of the strongest ways to prevent drug abuse. What we invest in our young people today will shape the communities we inherit tomorrow.
The public should not treat every person who uses drugs simply as a criminal. The Uganda Harm Reduction Network has advocated for greater attention to public-health responses, including counselling, education and harm-reduction approaches. Prevention and recovery require both accountability and support. Preventing drug abuse is everybody’s responsibility.
NGOs, schools, churches, mosques and community leaders can provide education, counselling and mentorship. Parents must speak openly with their children about drugs, peer pressure and stress. Young people also need positive alternatives, including sports and recreation, skills training, mentorship, entrepreneurship and employment opportunities. Communities that depend on substances such as Mairungi for their livelihoods should also be supported to identify practical economic alternatives. Prevention will be more sustainable when families and communities have both knowledge and opportunities.
As we work hard towards reducing the availability of drugs, we must also address the conditions that make young people vulnerable to them. Supporting Uganda’s youth through education, mentorship, skills, recreation, employment and accessible treatment is one of the strongest ways to prevent drug abuse. What we invest in our young people today will shape the communities we inherit tomorrow.