Officials have confirmed that an eight-year-old child is among four patients receiving treatment at the newly established Drug Rehabilitation Centre in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
The facility, located at Chinotimba Clinic, became operational following a ZWG$1.8 million government contribution. Videos of minors drinking alcohol during the 2024 festive season led to a public outcry, with the police moving in to caution parents against negligence.
In a recent video that went viral on social media, a traditional court aide is seen saying that “Mwenewebhawa” the owner of the bar would be arrested if minors were found on the premises, indicating the extent of the problem.
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Zimbabwe faces a significant drug abuse crisis, with children exposed to various substances.
This is part of a regional and global challenge, with countries like Malaysia reporting 135,000 recorded drug addicts as of June 2025, while a 2024 survey in Japan found 1.8% of junior high school students (approx. 1 in 55) abused non-prescription drugs like cough medicine to “seek excitement or alter mood.”
In 2025 Q1, 285 under-21s were reported for drug abuse in Hong Kong with 128 of them
A 2025 news article estimates 15% of India’s population may be drug dependent. Globally an estimated 243 million people used cannabis in 2023.
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