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Addiction Psychiatry 2018
Journal of Addiction Research & Therapy
ISSN: 2155-6105
Page 53
August 13-14, 2018
Madrid, Spain
8
th
International Conference on
Addiction Psychiatry
T
he use of whoonga and risky sexual behaviours amongst young
people represent a huge public health and economic concern in
South Africa and globally. The trend of new drugs entering the drug
market has increased in SouthAfrica. Whoonga is a relatively a new
addition into the drugmarket and ismostly used by young people. It
is a mixture of antiretroviral drugs, dagga (marijuana) or heroin and
several other substances, including chemicals found in detergents
and even rat poison. The need for this study was prompted by the
devastating effects which this new arrival drug has had on the lives
ofyoungpeople.Theaimofthestudywastoexploretherelationship
that the use of whoonga has with risky sexual behaviours among
the youthof Durban.The study reliedonqualitative data drawn from
10 individual in-depth semi structured interviews with six males
and four female’s participants who were active whoonga users.
The interviews were conducted at a rehabilitation centre in Durban.
The results of the study highlight several factors that facilitate and
inhibit the use of whoonga and the relationship it has with risky
sexual behaviours. Peer pressure and wanting to fit in with friends
facilitates the use of whoonga. Other factors that facilitate the use
include the ignorance of what they were getting themselves into
before they started using whoonga. Easy accessibility of whoonga,
lack of support from family and friends, as well as the lack of
substance use awareness encourages use of the drug. Despite the
challenges that the participants experienced as a result of their use
of whoonga, they are still hopeful about the future and wish to quit
it and rebuild their life again. More attention needs to be focused on
the relationship between drug use and risky behaviours.
bontlesegobe@gmail.comA qualitative study of the impact of drug use on risky
behaviours in Durban
Bontle Segobe
and
Pranitha Maharaj
University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
J Addict Res Ther 2018, Volume 9
DOI: 10.4172/2155-6105-C2-040