“Consider our plight”: A cry for help from nyaope users

Nyaope is a relatively new drug which until recently was not classified as illegal. It is widely used by many young and poor people in predominantly Black townships and users can be easily identified as they usually assemble in open spaces such as parks and taxi ranks and have formed a community through which they support one another in the habit. In addition to this, users often display poor personal hygiene and often resort to stealing and selling stolen goods in order to sustain their habit. There is a paucity of literature on nyaope and its use and impact, and the present study is a qualitative exploration of the experiences of nyaope users in three provinces, namely Gauteng, Mpumalanga and North West. The findings highlight the strong addictive nature of the drug, the ease of access, and the unfavourable social environment which promotes initial use and difficulty in quitting. Nyaope users typically express a desire to find and utilise help in order to overcome their current circumstances.

AbstrakNyaope is ‘n relatiewe nuwe dwelmmiddel wat algemeen gebruik word deur die meerderheid jong, hoofsaaklik arm mense wat in swart buurte woon. Dit is eers onlangs dat die dwelmmiddel as onwettig geklassifiseer is. Gemeenskappe wat mekaar ondersteun in die gewoonte van die dwelm misbruik kom gewoonlik saam in oop areas in dorps gebiede soos parke en huurmotor staan plekke. Gebruikers kan maklik uitgeken word aan swak persoonlike higiene en die neiging om enigiets te steel om geld te kry om hulle gewoonte te ondersteun. Literatuur oor nyaope, die gebruik daarvan en die impak op die verbruiker is relatief skaars. Hierdie studie was ‘n kwalitatiewe eksploratiewe ondersoek oor die ondervindinge van nyaope gebruikers wat uitgevoer is in drie provinsies naamlik Gauteng, Mpumalanga en Noord Wes. Die bevindinge beklemtoon dat nyaope hoogs verslawend en makilik bekombaar is en ‘n ongunstige sosiale omgewing dra by tot die gebruik. . Nyaope gebruikers is ongelukkig met die toestand waarin hulle hulle bevind en vra vir hulp aangesien hulle dit moelik vind om die gewoonte op te gee.