09 May 2016

Marijuana use is a growing problem among the youth.

Senior Superintendent Samuel Thobogang of Botswana Police Service said culprits were largely male youths. 

He said he was in touch with the management of Molefi Senior Secondary School to help address the problem.

The drugs and narcotics squad was also engaged to lecture students on the dangers of drug abuse. 

Senior Supt Thobogang said the lecture would steer the youngsters away from the consequences that come with the use of marijuana.

“It is very said for a student to be suspended from school for the use of marijuana and miss their lessons, which makes it difficult for them to catch up when they come back,” he said. 

He said while it was not easy to detect where marijuana was kept, they were able to arrest 22 marijuana users in 2013, 22 in 2014 and 26 in 2015.  

Senior Supt Thobogang  said eight men were convicted in 2013 while 17 men and two women faced the wrath of the law in 2014. 

Mr Tlhobogang said while penalties for being caught in possession of marijuana varied, most transgressors were fined. 

He noted that the fine depended on the weight of marijuana, which the person was found in possession of.

He said confiscated marijuana was sent to the police forensic laboratory for analysis and then taken to weights and measures for weighing. He said after finalisation of a case, marijuana was burnt.

He warned that one of the side effects of using dagga was brain damage. ENDS