Some of the most common
addictions in South Africa
Alcohol is one of the oldest addictions known to man. It
has been around for hundreds of years as a recreational
substance. Alcohol contains ethanol, a psychoactive
substance that is the active ingredient in drinks such as
beer, wine and distilled spirits, often called 'hard liquor'.
Alcoholism is a serious illness. It is a disease that
completely takes hold of its victim, leaving them
dependent on the substance for sustenance. Alcoholism
is a progressive disease that disrupts the lives of its
victim and their loved ones.
Codeine addiction also known as 'lean'
Codeine is a prescription pain medication that is used to
treat pain. It primarily comes in tablet form and is the main
ingredient in prescription-grade cough suppressants.
Codeine is an opiate. Some of the other well-known
opiates include heroin, oxycodone and morphine. Street
names for codeine include cough syrup, schoolboy, coties
and t-three’s among others.
In South Africa 'lean' or 'double cupping' is the lingo
used on South African streets and by rappers around the
world. It refers to a commonly abused codeine cocktail
consisting of different codeine mixes and liquids. This
has also become a concerning trend between township
school learners as young as 10 years, who are addicted
to this drug.
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Dagga or marijuana addiction
Marijuana, often thought of as a 'gateway drug', is the
most commonly abused illegal mind-altering substance.
Also known as weed or dagga, marijuana is a dry and
shredded mix of leaves and stems from the hemp plant
'cannabis sativa'. Marijuana is smoked through a rolled
cigarette (known as a 'joint') or a 'bong' (pipe) and has a
pungent, sweet-sour and easily identifiable smell.
The abuse of marijuana can lead to learning, memory and
social behaviour problems. The user's addiction interferes
with family relationships, schoolwork and other activities.
Marijuana has been proven to have an adverse impact on
memory, thus learning becomes a difficult task for the
user. Essentially, a person who smoked marijuana every
day is functioning at a severely reduced intellectual level.
Nyaope, whoonga or heroin
Heroin is a 'downer' and induces a state of euphoria and
relaxation. It acts on the pleasure centres of the brain.
Heroin is an opiate and blocks the ability of the user to
feel pain. The stigma attached to heroin addiction may
seem disheartening, many believe it is impossible to
come back from such a powerful substance. Heroin is
an all-consuming drug. After abusing the drug for some
time, the user becomes physically dependent on it, much
like an alcoholic cannot function without alcohol. There
are numerous ways to come off the drug, be it going
'cold turkey' or getting into a medical detox programme.
Long-term treatment is advised for heroin addicts. This
powerful drug can be overcome; recovery is possible.