By Anna Chibamu

CITIZENS for Coalition Change legislator, Settlement Chikwinya has called upon the government to urgently come up with measures to address drug and substance abuse in the country.

This comes after an elite Harare Catholic owned girls school, Dominican Convent High School recently expelled eight students found in possession of drugs during a school trip in Nyanga.

READ MORE: Catholic owned Dominican Convent expels eight students over drug abuse

Chikwinya described the situation as a scourge that needed urgent attention and called upon Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe to address the matter in Parliament.

“My point of national interest comes from what has become a scourge involving substance abuse. Recently there was a high school which expelled several students after having found them in possession of drugs and alcohol and I would like to believe that this is happening in several other schools. My prayer is that may the Minister of Home Affairs address Parliament on the steps taken by the government and perhaps produce statistics and how we can assist our local communities in curbing the scourge,” Chikwinya said.

READ MORE: Govt urged to up fight against drug abuse in schools

Cases of drug and substance abuse by school children are on the rise and the past week has seen social media awash with videos of young learners smoking weed and other substances.

In one video, a student is seen laying down in class after allegedly collapsing due to alcohol consumption.

Students are seen taking the unknown substance from the unconscious boy’s pockets showing it to school authorities.

Government has made efforts to contain the situation hosting drug awareness events but there has been little improvement as more cases are being reported.

The most commonly abused substances are mutoriro, crystal mathe, tumbwa which are illegally brewed locally.