ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the nature, prevalence and effects of drug use/abuse in South Africa. South Africa's current drug situation cannot be separated from its past political climate. For many years, South Africa has been in transition from apartheid, and the changes made to laws, regulations and policies have created loopholes for illegal drug exploitation. South African schools have problems with drugs. According to a Central Drug Authority (CDA), drug and alcohol use/abuse is a major contributor to crime and violence in schools. Drug use, including tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption contributes to sexual intercourse between school-age children and youth in South Africa, and some of the major consequences of drug use/abuse among South African children and youth are risky sexual behavior, unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV and AIDS. South Africa's drug problem is associated with a variety of social ills of which crime and violence top the list, followed closely by health problems in various forms.
