Drug use in West Africa is significantly increasing, according to a report from the West African Epidemiological Network on Drug Use (WENDU). The sub-region has moved from the status of a transit route to that of a drug consumption market over the last decade. The study, which concerns the period 2020-2022, points to the weakness of national institutions, the lack of socio-economic opportunities, political instability and security crises. Who are the drug users in West Africa? What are the most abused drugs?
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People receiving treatment for addiction problems in West Africa are both men and women, the study found. For men, cannabis tops the list of products consumed. For women, alcohol and pharmaceuticals.
Most consumers are young. The 15-44 year old group represents 86% of people treated for addiction and in this group, 3/4 are under 30 years old.
Cannabis is the most consumed in the region, with sometimes a progression towards other harder drugs. If it dominates the statistics, the report estimates, it is because it is easily cultivated. It is therefore easily accessible and cheaper than other substances. Opioids, such as tramadol, are also common.
The document suggests possible solutions such as finding alternative uses for cannabis, which would bring more income to those who produce it, and would therefore limit its purely recreational use. Establish prevention and treatment services to compensate for the lack of healthcare structures. And invest in mental health, particularly for young people, who are the first to be exposed.
On the ground, organizations are mobilizing to help drug users through awareness and care actions. This is the case of the Blue Cross of Togo, which intervenes in the prevention of the consumption of psychoactive substances. Isidore Motchon Ayaovi, project coordinator of the NGO, also notes that the number of consumers has been increasing in recent years, and in particular following the pandemic.
The number of consumers is increasing day by day and this has been accentuated by the Covid-19 crisis. During the crisis, we practically suspended all activities and therefore the young people, who met here and there, because of boredom, only indulged in the consumption of these substances.
Isidore Motchon Ayaovi, project coordinator of the Blue Cross of Togo