DRUG abuse wreaks disastrous effects on society. Some careers and jobs have been lost, savings squandered and families destroyed because of the abuse of these illicit drugs.
Despite the dangers associated with the abuse, many people from all walks of life and ages unfortunately still fall prey to these addictive substances.
The increase in drug abuse and addiction especially among the Zambian youths is therefore a source of concern because of the resultant negative consequences both health and social.
Last year, the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) and other law-enforcing wings raided Lusaka’s notorious Chibolya Township where some drug dealers were rounded up.
After the exercise, it was anticipated that illicit drug business in Chibolya and other areas could reduce but alas this seems not to be the case.
It is startling that drug abuse in Chibolya has now taken a new twist with mostly young people switching to injectables.
The commonly abused drugs are cocaine and heroin and these are not cheap to acquire.
This means some of these addicts come from well-to-do families, considering the cost implication involved in buying these drugs.
As  a way of escaping DEC and other law-enforcement wings, the drug dealers we are told by our sister newspaper, Sunday Times of Zambia that sometimes they meet their clients along Kafue Road.
These dealers inject their customers using syringes which we are not sure if they are even sterilised.
Some users prefer injection so that the full effects of the drug can be experienced quickly.
In the absence of money, these addicts do extreme things like surrendering their laptops and television sets as collateral to the dealers in exchange for the drugs.
However, the fatalities that come from drug abuse are high, hence the desperate need to curtail the epidemic.
Some of the consequences of drug abuse among the youth include lower commitment to school activities, risk of contracting diseases especially with the use of unsterile syringes and rise in drug-related suicides, illnesses and accidents.
Many aspects of family life can be jeopardised as a result of substance abuse, leading to dysfunctional families.
With the rise in drug abuse, the Zambia Police, DEC and other relevant authorities  need to up their game and curb this rot.
This war against illicit drugs should be fought vigorously starting from homes where these young people come from.
Parents need to play an active role by not giving too much freedom to their children and taking interest in what they do outside their homes.
The maximum sentence one gets from illicit drug-related business in Zambia is five years and this also calls for stiffening of the punishment.
In countries like China, being merely found in possession of drugs attracts life imprisonment.
Something drastic needs to be done to fight this scourge which is eating the moral fibre of Zambia’s next generation.