African Union establishes the Southern Africa Network of Traditional Leaders Drug Demand Reduction Network [Video]

In a ground breaking move, the African Union has established its first a sub-regional network of traditional leaders to be trained in scientific evidence-based methodologies for prevention, treatment and care of drug dependency to widen the reach of community interventions amid a growing challenge of substance use disorders on the continent especially among youth, women and children.

The Southern Africa Network of Traditional Leaders in Drug Demand Reduction (SANTLDDR) was formed at a continental consultation for traditional leaders from countries of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) held from 08-11 April 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa. African countries are experiencing an upsurge in public health problems as a result of the increased availability and use of psychoactive substances trafficked into the continent and also produced locally.

Cannabis and khat have traditionally been grown and widely consumed in Africa for centuries. These have been complemented by opiates such as heroin and …