The Drug Problem in Africa (From NIANKARA Amadou, Lycée Yadéga, Ouahigouya)
Some ten years ago, the prevailing view in both Africa and the outside world was that drug dependency posed no threat to African countries, even if some of them were producers of the raw materials in manufacturing narcotics.
This view has now been proved wrong. Africa is not only the producer of some of sixty of the world’s toxic substances, but this continent also consumes them in large quantities. Most of the African countries in recent years have seen drug dependence growing with frightening speed and frequently involving more than one drug (including the use of alcohol). Furthermore, there has been a distinct increase in the number of African countries that have reported the existence of drug trafficking within their frontiers. There has also been an increase in the quantities of drugs seized. These have mainly concerned cannabis and to a lesser degree, cocaine.
Drug dependence has taken hold of different countries at different rates. The picture looks gloomy in Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria and Senegal for instance, but less serious in Algeria, Madagascar, Rwanda, Togo and Zambia. But generally speaking the measures taken to combat drug abuse are inadequate. Yet this battle against the problem of drug dependence can’t be separated from other battles against under-development in Africa. By reducing the addicts to the state of nervous wreck, drugs are depriving this continent of valuable manpower which it must have if it is to make economic progress and create an area of social well-being.
QUESTIONS
A. Guided commentary
1. What was the general opinion about the problem of drug in Africa a decade ago?
2. Do people share the same view today about the drug problem in Africa?
3. How serious is the problem of drug today in Africa?
4. Is it possible to solve this drug problem in Africa?
B. Translation
Translate the last paragraph of the texts into French (From “Drug dependence has taken hold…” to “…an area of social well-being.”)