Gicumbi prison officers urged the youth to avoid drugs
Officials in Gicumbi prison in Gicumbi District launched a campaign to encourage the youth to avoid drug use especially the local drug known as “Rwiziringa”
The campaign was launched on 2nd May 2018 at GS Murama in Rulindo District, Northern Province.
The prison uses drug abuse convicts to share testimonies in various schools on how drugs are dangerous.
The head of Gicumbi prison Chief Superintendent Rutayisire Karera said that Rwiziringa seems to be new among other known drugs and is used mostly by students and affects their lives.
“In secondary schools students abandoned Kanyanga to take Rwiziringa because it makes them feeling relaxed, they chew it with gam, one grain from the product makes people them go high,” he said.
“Some people think Kanyanga makes them go high but they have changed tricks and nowadays take Rwiziringa instead,” he added.
Some of heads of school in Rulindo District say that such a drug was not common to them but after they got to know it, they were ready fight it among the youth.
“The herb they showed us called Rwiziringa is said to be among drugs categories but we did not know that. We just considered it as other herbs but we have understood its danger and we are ready to fight it,” said Evariste Simbaringoma, Head Teacher at GS Miyove.
We are going to start an anti-drug club especially because both teachers and students have got a golden chance to hear testimonies and will play a critical role in this club,“ he added
Rwiziringa drug is new and there are concerns that it is used by many people because it is available everywhere and costs nothing.
According to the research findings by the Ministry of Health, at least 54% of young people have used drugs at least once in their lives.
