The dialogue hosted as part of Youth Parliament activities sought to combat and prevent risky behaviour and substance abuse in young people.
The youth are engaging in risky behaviour including substance abuse, and this leads to loss of future and in extreme cases, lives.
It is because of this that Capricorn District Municipality recently held a youth dialogue focusing on youth risky behaviour. The dialogue was held at Westernburg’s Nirvana Hall.
When opening the dialogue, Capricorn Acting Executive Mayor Councillor Jara Masubelele said tackling youth risky behaviour needed joint effort by all concerned stakeholders.
We need more of these sessions, have dialogue, do treatment, rehabilitation and care facilities, youth development programmes that are accessible, affordable and culturally sensetive.
Masubelele further said as the Municipality, they have over the years applied social development frameworks to facilitate youth development, promote moral regeneration and to foster life skills programmes.
Now we using dialogues as a vehicle to inform, educate and fight substance abuse, crime and other social ills.
In 2013 the Department of Social Department released a study report on Substance use, misuse and abuse amongst the youth in Limpopo. The study revealed that:
- The most commonly used substances in various districts of the Province are Cannabis at 49%, Inhalants at 39%, bottle wine at 32%, home brewed beer at 30% and commercially brewed beer greater that 4% Alc/Vol used by 54.8% of the samples youth.
The report further stressed easy accessibility of these substances, which in turn increase the likelyhood of indulgence.
The onset of substance use amongst the youth is as low as under 10 years of age with the median age of substance users being 24 years. Substances used by the youth are easily accessible and available which increases the potential for substance misuse, and ultimately abuse.
According to The United Nations 2018 World Drug Report ‘early to late adolescence (12-14 years old and 15-17 years old) is a critical risk period for the initiation of substance use; substance use may peak among young people aged 18-25 years.
Masubelele urged all stakeholders during the dialogue to work together in providing conditions favourable for youth to flourish instead of indulging in risky behaviour including substance abuse.
We must continue to work together with all role players in different sectors to never settle for anything less than a society that provides conditions under which every young person can fully unlock their arsenal of skills and release all their potential – instead of indulging in risky behaviour.