Ditch your habit and raise awareness

SANCA Zululand is calling on the community to take up the Kick Your Habit campaign from 20-26 June, and give up that one ‘thing’, whether it is caffeine, tobacco, chocolate, or even shopping.

The campaign aligns with International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on 26 June, and has been running for five years.

It is Sanca’s way to reduce the stigma associated with people who use/misuse substances by ‘walking a mile in their shoes’.

This year’s theme is addressing drug challenges in health and humanitarian crises.

This is especially pertinent in light of the Covid-19 crisis, which has shone a spotlight on the relationship people have with substances, particularly alcohol and tobacco products when their sales were prohibited.

In-depth research conducted over the past 20 to 25 years has accelerated the shift toward a more scientific understanding of substance use disorders as medical and mental health conditions.

The demand for evidence-based methods to effectively prevent and treat substance use disorders is not only the focus of Sanca, but of all services in the sector.

Meanwhile, only one in every seven people has access to treatment. In South Africa, the average age of drug dependency is 12 years, and is decreasing.

South Africa is one of the top 10 narcotics and alcohol abusers in the world, and the need for awareness is great as drug and alcohol dependency are tearing apart the fabric of society.

Drug and alcohol dependency are frequently linked to other societal issues, such as violent crime, gender-based violence, child abuse, and rapidly increasing HIV/Aids incidence rates.

According to statistics from 2017, South Africa has the highest prevalence of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder (FASD) in the world, with a rate 14 times higher than the global average.
Competition

As part of this year’s challenge, Sanca invites members of the public to participate in their ‘Design a Detox Shot’ competition for a chance to win a Takealot voucher.

Using at least three ingredients from cinnamon, turmeric, lemon, lime, ginger, apple cider vinegar, mint, cranberry, grapefruit, kale, spinach, garlic, beetroots or honey, design your own unique alcohol-free detox shot and stand a chance to win.

The Kick Your Habit challenge raises awareness of the complexities related to addiction and dependence, and the campaign seeks to build awareness through experience by challenging individuals to stop using just one
‘thing’ for a week and experience, albeit briefly, what a substance-dependent might go through in treatment.

How to enter

Post a video on Sanca’s ‘Kick Your Habit’ Facebook page of you drinking your special ‘shot’ that contains at least three of the specified ingredients. Tag and challenge your colleagues and friends. The competition closes on 26 June and the winner will be announced on 27 June.

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