DODOMA Region currently leads the nation in drug use, especially heroin, followed closely by Dar es Salaam, the Drugs Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA) has said.

However, in May, this year, then Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Coordination and Parliamentary Affairs) Jenista Mhagama presented a report showing that Dar es Salaam had the highest drug usage rates in the country, with 78 percent of users being young people.

Peter Patrick, DCEA Commissioner for treatment and rehabilitation, told this paper recently that other regions with high levels of drug use are Mwanza, Arusha, and Mbeya.

Patric outlined that the most commonly abused drugs in Tanzania are marijuana, khat, heroin, cocaine and certain prescription drugs that are misused recreationally.

He noted a worrying rise in the use of methamphetamine.

“Methamphetamine has increasingly entered the country, especially since 2021. Last year alone, we confiscated more than two tonnes of the drugs,” he said.

He also provided insights into the global heroin trade.

“Around 85 percent of heroin consumed worldwide originates from Afghanistan. However, we anticipate a decrease in supply this year and next year as the Taliban has banned cultivation of opium poppy plants, the source of heroin,” he said.

Patric explained trafficking routes, saying: “Heroin enters East and Southern Africa via the Indian Ocean, moving through Somalia, Mombasa, Tanga, Mtwara, Lindi, Mozambique and all the way to Cape Town in South Africa. When produced in Afghanistan, the drug is typically routed through Iran or Pakistan.”

According to research, between 50 and 100 tonnes of heroin pass through the East and Central African corridor annually but less than 10 tonnes of this quantity is consumed in Tanzania.

He also shared alarming statistics about the health impact of drug use in the country. Research shows that 36 percent of people who inject drugs are living with HIV/Aids, with women being disproportionately affected. 

Studies reveal that among 100 people who inject drugs, at least 60 are HIV-positive. Moreover, 90 percent of female drug users are involved in sex work to fund their drug habits.

Despite the challenges, Patric emphasized the authority’s commitment to reducing the import and distribution of drugs.

He said the authority has also focused on strategies aimed at eliminating the demand for drugs through public education about the dangers of drug use, thereby preventing individuals from engaging in substance abuse.

“The strategies are designed to empower communities to actively participate in the fight against drug use in Tanzania,” he said.