Drugs are becoming a major problem among the youth of Angola according to the government there who is taking a harder line.

This week, the deputy miniter of Justice, Guilhermina Prata was forced to defend the government’s strategy against the growing drug problem. “Drugs are crippling our societies through the foment of crime, dissemination of diseases like HIV/AIDS and self-destruction of the youths,” she stated.

Another Angolan MP said that part of the solution lay in restricting the access of minors to night clubs and other areas where alcohol and drugs were easily procured.

While the government is obviously doing something that they feel would improve the situation of their youth and their country, there has been no mention of strategies other than the hardline, prohibitionist undertakings that have had at best, mixed success in other parts of the world.

Perhaps the added cost, effort or the lack of political popularity associated with harm reduction strategies means that their adoption is put on the back-burner in Africa as well is in other areas.