World Drug Day 2023 in Southern Africa – Growing Engagement and Ownership by State and Local Actors “People first: stop stigma and discrimination, strengthen prevention”

Cannabis remains the most widely used drug in Botswana, and most of the cannabis cultivated is consumed in the country. [...] The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) flagged youth as the most vulnerable targets for drug consumption and has consistently drummed the message of prevention and rehabilitation for over a decade, and identified heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine in addition to cannabis as increasingly consumed in the country. [...] This year’s events are under the auspices of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security and the DEC with the participation of the UNODC ROSAF Regional Representative Jane Marie Ongolo. [...] In response to these challenges, the country recently launched the Zimbabwe National Drug Master Plan (2020-2025) which aims to provide both a comprehensive and integrated approach to address the rise in substance use in the country. [...] UNODC and the National Drug Control Agency developed the Maputo Roadmap, a strategic roadmap focusing on specific areas of policy development and technical assistance related to the priorities of the Government of Mozambique in strengthening its criminal justice system, which are in line with the priorities set by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the UN Sustainable Development.