SUBSTANCE ABUSE AMONG YOUNG STUDENTS IS A GROWING CONCERN

By Morapedi Sibeko

• The Department of Social Development took part in Wits University’s student orientation week, making sure first years know how to access help for substance abuse disorders.
• Research is finding that the age that the youth start experimenting with drugs and alcohol is becoming younger and younger.
• Young people are particularly vulnerable because of their innate curiosity, desire for new experiences and drive to challenge authority, among other reasons.

With drug and alcohol use a huge temptation to adolescents and young adults, the Department of Social Development made sure the message of substance abuse reached the ears of first-year students at the University of the Witwatersrand.

The national department, along with the Gauteng Department of Social Development took part in the student orientation week taking place from 3 – 7 February 2025.

On Tuesday, 4 February 2025, representatives from the department shared information about support programmes available on campus and initiatives to help people with substance abuse disorders.

Drug and alcohol abuse is on the rise among young people, with evidence showing that the age of people experimenting with drugs is becoming younger and younger.

Young people are especially vulnerable to the temptation of drugs because of their innate curiosity, desire for new experiences, hostility to authority, low self-esteem, and challenges in developing healthy interpersonal relationships.

Adolescence and early adulthood are crucial times when people start experimenting with both legal and illicit substances.

The increase in student substance misuse now also coincides with a rapidly changing social and technological landscape, as well as mounting social pressure to achieve.

Higher education’s competitive environment, along with academic and personal stress, frequently leads students to turn to substance abuse as a coping strategy.

The Department of Social Development conducts a campaign aimed at institutions of higher learning students at the start of every academic year to raise awareness of the consequences of social crime, gender-based violence, and substance use disorders.

These programmes empower students to make well-informed decisions regarding their health and encourage them to ask for assistance when necessary.

The department’s social work policy manager responsible for substance abuse, Motshabi Nkoane, outlined some of the myths students hold regarding substance use, including the idea that drinking is necessary for enjoyment.

“They are also under pressure to use drugs to fit in, and substance abuse is often normalised in households where it is common.”

Nkoane stressed the need for ongoing initiatives to raise awareness; actively involving students in the battle against substance misuse because they experience these issues directly. She adds that social media can be used as a tactical instrument to draw attention and stop its spread.

Johannesburg student, Lumka Manana (19) says: “Students drink because of peer and academic pressure and end up being addicted. It’s enjoyable and stress-relieving at first, but eventually, it turns into a coping strategy.”

Responding to the information shared on substance misuse, Manana recommended that improved communication efforts be used to increase the visibility of awareness programmes such as the one held at the university’s orientation week.

The most popular substances seen in tertiary institutions are dagga, alcohol, and hookah pipes, says Sister Siminathi Bilankulu, a primary health care clinician with Wits Campus Health.

Behavioural changes, poor hygiene, and abrupt weight loss are early indicators of substance use disorders. Students may begin skipping lectures and often wait until they are already ill before seeking medical help.

But students need to know that help is always available.

Support programmes are offered on campus for students who are struggling with substance use. They can talk to peer educators who are qualified to direct students to the right resources or seek assistance from social workers from the Careers Counselling Development Unit without feeling judged or stigmatised.