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23 comments delivered to parliament (closed 10 December 2023)
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The Minister of Social Development published the draft Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Use Disorders Policy for public comment.
Have your say – shape the policy. [CLOSED]
This Policy framework on the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Use Disorders (the Policy) recognises that the abuse of substances – such as alcohol, illicit drugs and prescription medicine – has reached alarming levels in South Africa.
The objectives of the Policy are:
- to embrace a balanced, integrated and evidence-based approach to domestic
substance use, abuse and dependency (substance use disorders); - to invest in building safe communities through appropriate evidence-based
prevention and treatment strategies; and - to devise SUD impact minimisation strategies.
This Policy framework provides for intervention that seeks to deliver a solution to harm caused by substance abuse. It provides for mechanisms aimed at supply, demand and harm reduction through prevention, early intervention, treatment, re-integration and aftercare programmes.
It provides for the registration and establishment of treatment centres and the repositioning of the Central Drug Authority (CDA). It takes into cognisance that there are various role players that need to provide positive intervention on the harms and social ills associated with substance abuse.
It focuses on substance abuse harms as well as supply and demand reduction as three pillars that must be strengthened in order to deal effectively with the challenges of substance abuse.
Furthermore, this policy is informed by and aligned to the WHO.