THE NEW DRUG CRAZE
- The drug also gets young ones to hallucinate and fight things - Society and drug users themselves placed in danger
Methcathione (CAT) drug, better known as 'katse' in the streets, is rapidly becoming popular in the country especially among teenagers.
According to Mental Health Counsellor at Botswana Substance Abuse Support Network (BOSASNet) Catherine Moalosi, between 2021 and 2022, they recorded a 20 percent increase in clients who came to them seeking to be rehabilitated from the drug.
Teenagers aged 15-19 appear to be fascinated by the drug more than any other age group. It is not clear what fascinates them but BOSASNet has observed that teenagers take the drug for fun.
“You will find them writing things like 'di kae di drugs re nwe re peke' on social media, meaning that these teenagers think abusing drugs is some kind of cool fashion or a stage they should not miss out on,” Moalosi said.
Katse drug has rippling effects on bodies that are still developing. It stimulates one’s brain and makes one become hyperactive, gives one the energy and confidence that one can do anything and everything under the sun.
This is one drug that makes them hallucinate and hear voices. “In previous cases, we have had those who would see a dog that wanted to bite them and they would start fighting that dog. Some hear voices that tell them to kill themselves or kill their loved ones,” Moalosi elaborated.
Unfortunately, when such happens, the young drug users become a danger to themselves and the society. Of late there have been cases of young people either committing suicide mysteriously, or even hurting and killing their loved ones. In most of the cases, the involved youth had been found to have been under the influence of drugs.
In most cases, drug users are brought to BOSASNet by caring family members, mostly mothers.
“Some come angry and demand that they do not want to talk, they just want to be assisted. Some come still actively hallucinating and frail looking and it is our job to ensure that they do not feel judged and are safe.”
However, sometimes it gets overwhelming for them and they are forced to send the patients to S’brana Psychiatric Hospital in Lobatse to be monitored for longer periods.
As an outpatient facility that deals with rehabilitating drug addicts, BOSASNet knows that what they offer during their limited time is not enough and when they send clients home, chances of relapse are high.
This is why they always make efforts to ensure that the entire family is supportive and attends some sessions so that it becomes easy to support the one recovering at home.
Recovery is a journey and Moalosi says one should not think that it can be an overnight process. One can go through a three-month rehabilitation programme then relapse six months later.
“There are many things that can lead to a relapse, even the smallest of things can get a recovering addict to square one. But it does not mean they should give up, patience is key where recovery is concerned,” she said.
Asked where teenagers get this Katse drug, Moalosi said their clients tell them the drugs are sold by members of the community.
They get them from a neighbour, some woman at school, family members and other places that are secretly selling the illegal substance.
Katse is relatively cheap to buy, sold at around P50 a small pack of 60g.
Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU) spokesperson Oreeditse Nyatso said they are aware that some students are taking Katse drug.
"We are aware and schools are forever ready to help where possible. The children are taken for counselling and assisted, usually we find that they do not take only one drug but many of them," he said.