Read the Extracts from the Sermon below:
The drug problem in Mauritius is one of the greatest social and public health challenges facing the country. Even though heroin was previously more prevalent, the situation has changed significantly in recent years due to synthetic drugs and the new routes used by traffickers.
Key Points concerning this issue
1. The
Rise of Synthetic Drugs
There
is a massive increase in the use of cheap synthetic drugs (commonly called
"chimique" or "synthé" by many people), and this is
affecting a large number of youth and adolescents.
Easily
Accessible and Inexpensive: Unlike drugs imported from abroad in mixed forms,
synthetic drugs are easy to manufacture locally using imported chemical
products, making them very affordable for young people.
Health Risks: The chemical composition of these products is highly unpredictable. This leads to severe mental health (psychiatric) problems, grave addiction, violence, and overdoses.
The
situation is becoming truly alarming for many people. Are you referring to the
rapid changes taking place with synthetic drugs, what is happening in schools,
the increasing crime rate in neighborhoods, or generally the burden this places
on health and security?
Although
exact figures on overdose-related deaths may vary from one medico-legal
classification to another, official data from the National Drug Secretariat
(NDS) and the Ministry of Health and Wellness provide clear numbers regarding
mortality, hospital admissions, and general drug seizures:
Clear Figures and Data
Direct
Drug Deaths: Official statistics from the National Drug Observatory (NDO)
report dozens of direct overdose death cases each year (for example, older NDO
reports recorded 60 to 70 direct deaths annually, a large portion of which were
linked to polydrug use and synthetic drugs).
Hospital
Admissions: In a typical year, public hospitals in Mauritius record more than
1,000 admissions directly linked to severe health complications and overdoses
(for example, 1,008 admissions in 2022, where approximately 60% were
individuals aged between 20 and 34).
Risk
and Consumption Estimates:
Estimates
show that approximately 55,000 people aged 18 to 59 in Mauritius consume
illicit drugs.
There
are between 6,600 and 12,000 people who inject drugs (PWID) on the island of
Mauritius, who face high mortality risks linked to synthetic cathinones,
heroin, and severe blood-borne infections.
While
the Prime Minister of Mauritius strolls peacefully in London's West End, the
drug crisis in Mauritius continues.
It has
been nearly two years since this government came to power. And during this time,
families continue to live with fear, overdoses, deaths, and the destruction of
our youth.
Drugs
never take a holiday. They circulate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Our
anti-drug police officers are making arrests. But how many of them are there
really? With what resources? How long can they continue to fight an industry
that seems to have far more resources than they do?
The
problem is not just about arresting a few dealers. We must tackle the networks,
the money, the imports, money laundering, and above all, implement a real
policy of prevention, treatment, and reintegration.
While
some enjoy the comfort of London, young people are dying and mothers are
weeping.
A
country cannot be run from hotels, conferences, and official trips.
The
captain is in London.
But
the ship is taking on water in Mauritius.
How
much longer?
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