Namibia became a member of the United Nations at Independence in 1990 and has since ratified several Conventions on drug control including the UN Convention against Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988; the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime of 2003; the UN Convention against Corruption of 2004 and the SADC Protocol against Illicit Drug Trafficking of 1996.
Despite this efforts, Honorable Dr Shangula, Minister of Health, and Social Services said that the country faces 'enormous challenges stemming from the availability of illicit drugs and other substances'. Whereas the country was regarded a transit for illicit drugs, evidence seems to show that there is an increasing number of users of illicit drugs of different ages' including 'children of a very young age.
A Ministry of Health and Social Services assessment on injecting drug use and HIV transmission risk in 2019, records that the most used illicit drugs in Namibia are cannabis, mandrax and crack cocaine. The assessment report further indicates that drug use is high amongst 18-35-year-olds and in addition to the use of illicit drugs, all use alcohol.
In the same year, WHO recorded that Namibia consumes 2.38 of pure alcohol per capita amongst people aged 15 years and above representing a significant reduction from 4.24 per capita in 1999. The Namibia Demographic and Health Survey (2013) indicates that one in two women and three in five men between the ages of 15 - 49, reported drinking alcohol at some point in their lives. Forty-five percent of women and 34% of men reported to drink 1-2 drinks per day.
The establishment of the National Drug Control Commission was approved by Cabinet in 1999 to oversee the implementation of the National Drug Master Plan (NDMP). The Country is implementing its 3rd edition of the National Drug Master Plan for 2020 to 2025 and the appointment of the National Drug Control Commission will ensure that the 9 pillars in the NDMP, as presented below are implemented:
- Enhancement of national management, oversight, reporting, monitoring and evaluation of the National Drug Control Master Plan (2019/20-2023/24);
- Implementation of measures to advance drug demand reduction;
- Addressing health issues associated with drug use, in particular the use of injectable drugs;
- Implementation of alternative measures to incarceration for drug use, and promotion of proportionate age and gender sentencing;
- Facilitation of access to controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes, while preventing their diversion;
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- Implementation of measures to reduce the supply of drugs, along with countering enablers of drug trafficking: firearms, corruption, and money laundering;
- Instituting measures to prevent organized crime associated with illicit drug trafficking;
- Addressing cross-cutting issues related to illicit drugs and vulnerable population groups, especially the youth, women, and marginalized communities; and finally,
- Strengthening international and regional cooperation based on the principle of common and shared responsibility.
The inaugural commissioners will serve for 3 years and were selected from the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Ministry of Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, Ministry of Youth, National Service and Sport, Private Sector and Non-governmental organizations.
WHO provided support to the inaugural ceremony of the National Drug Control Commission and continue to support the country's interventions aimed to reduce drug related harm.
