Beware: some snacks are spiked

DO you know that not all cakes, biscuits and drinks are good for your child? Be aware that some of the confectionaries and refreshments are contaminated with illicit drugs to slowly intoxicate and spoil the innocent young ones.

Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Policy, Coordination and Parliament, Ms Jenista Mhagama sounded the warning on Tuesday, shortly after submitting the report in the National Assembly.

Ms Mhagama told journalists that the government has taken stern measures to control the trend, adding that cannabis is the most used illicit drug in the country.

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She said in 2020-2021 the authorities seized processed cocaine in the form of jam, cakes, biscuits and honey, where the culprits were sentenced to 30 years in jail.

Moreover, the minister said, they have also descended on another firm producing drinks purported to be juice, only to use some ingredients of illicit drugs, noting that investigation into the matter was ongoing.

“The dealers have a new way to influence people and in turn become addicted. The Drug Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA) is keen and special operations are going on to ensure we protect the nation,” she pointed out.

Elaborating, Ms Mhagama mentioned a new type of illicit drug –methamphetamine to have been found in the country in 2021, where some 430-kilogrammes and 968.7 grammes were seized, adding: “In 2022, another type of illicit drug –mescaline of 56-kilogrammes was seized.”

In her statement, she announced Arusha, Manyara, Iringa, Morogoro and Kilimanjaro as regions leading in cannabis farming for export, while Mara and Ruvuma are undertaking the business for the local markets.

The minister said some have been using cannabis in food products like honey, tea leaves, biscuits, cakes calling upon the public to inform relevant authorities in case they suspect some using it in their midst.

The minister said that despite the ongoing special operation to nab the perpetrators, selling illicit drugs as raw materials for food products, they are also researching on alternative farming and business activities for the farmers so as to refrain from bhang cultivation.

The government is taking a number of interventions in handling the matter as it has prepared guidelines of awareness and medication to drug addicts. In 2022, more than 871 attended medication among them, 245 were enrolled in vocational skills training for skills on self-employment.

In 2023/24, she said, the government has set aside 8.7bn/- for the construction of rehabilitation centres in regions, which are prominent in bhang cultivation, and use of other illicit drugs including linking them with vocational training.

In particular, she named five regions in which the centres will be constructed as Shinyanga, Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Arusha and Dodoma.

In 2022, the government said it had seized and destroyed 197 hectares of cannabis farms. It also seized 20.58 tonnes of cannabis, 15.2 tonnes of khat, 254.7 kilogrammes of heroin and 1.7 kg of cocaine.

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