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In Pictures

Gallery|Health

In Pictures: Uganda’s thriving drug scene

Uganda’s parliament is debating a tough new narcotics-control bill that critics say would unfairly punish the poor.

The Kisenyi slum in the middle of the capital, Kampala, is considered the roughest area of the city.
By Michele Sibiloni
Published On 5 Nov 20145 Nov 2014
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Kampala, Uganda – Facing an upsurge in drug use, Uganda’s parliament is debating the enactment of a tough new narcotics-control bill into law. According to the legislation, drug trafficking would be punished with life imprisonment, while possession would result in a minimum fine of $4,000, or two years in jail.

In Kampala’s bustling nightlife, cocaine is readily available. The international airport in the city of Entebbe, meanwhile, has gained notoriety in recent years as a thriving conduit for the narcotics trade.

In December 2012, the death of a young and popular member of parliament, Cerinah Nebandah, after an overdose of cocaine sent reverberations throughout parliament.

Private rehab facilities for affluent addicts have sprouted up in Uganda.

The majority of Kampala’s drug users live less glamorously, however. Crack, heroin and marijuana are popular on the capital’s streets. Heroin is cheap enough to be an after-work routine for many in the slums who barely earn enough money for food.

The Uganda Harm Reduction Network cares for drug users, advocating for their rights to health officials and offering needle exchanges. The NGO group is run by ex-drug users.

Like Uganda’s controversial anti-pornography and anti-homosexuality laws enacted earlier this year, the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Bill would mean harsh repurcussions for many already on the margins of society.

The Kinsenyi slum is infamous for street kids and drugs addicts.
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Unemployment is extremely high among young men in Uganda, leading many, with too much time on their hands, to resort to drugs.
In the slum, a dose of crack cocaine costs about $4, which is often shared because of the high price.
A man lights up a homemade heroin pipe in his house after a day(***)s work. (***)I tried to stop several times but it is not easy if you don(***)t have the money to go to a private clinic,(***) he says. (***)I wish to stop, but I can(***)t.(***)
A man prepares to inject a dose of heroin. Most users prefer to smoke it instead of injecting because of the risk of overdosing.
It is common for young Ugandans to smoke a (***)cocktail(***), a mix of ganja and heroin. A dose can cost $1.
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A drug dealer prepares doses of heroin for sale. (***)When people finish work, they come because they want to get high, and I have to be ready to do business.(***)
A scene behind a bar in the slum where many people buy drugs during the day.
A man cleans his crack pipe after a session with friends in Kinsenyi slum.
Many street kids in Kisenyi slum get high from petrol and glue fumes.


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