Narcotic drug use among Zanzibari youth hinders the island's development, First Vice President Seif Sharif Hamad said at the launch of the National Anti-Drugs Commission in Stone Town on Monday (December 31st).

"Youths should abandon the use of drugs and be able to play an important role in the development of Zanzibar," Hamad said, according to Tanzania's Daily News. "We need the youth driving our development plans to complete success."

The commission is part of the government's ongoing efforts to curb drug use in Zanzibar, which include the operation of rehabilitation facilities where 400 of an estimated 2,000 drug users have recovered from addiction, according to Hamad.

Hamad also said that narcotics must be prevented from entering Zanzibar to effectively curb drug use. "In order to maintain the success in rescuing youths from indulgence in narcotic drugs, drug trafficking must be stopped," he said.