The department of social development wishes to remind South Africans to make comments on the gazetted Prevention and Treatment of Substance Use Disorder Policy.
On November 10, 2023, the Department of Social Development gazetted the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Use Disorder Policy for public comments and inputs.
The policy seeks to provide a comprehensive framework to address challenges related to alcohol and other drugs faced by communities.
It further provides a platform for the functioning, involvement, and participation of various stakeholders in the prevention of and treatment for alcohol and other drugs use and abuse.
The Policy will also provide for the functioning of the Alcohol and Drug Advisory Council of South Africa (ADAC-SA) currently known as Central Drug Authority (CDA).
The following are the objectives of the Policy on the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Use Disorder:
- Address challenges faced by the sector in dealing with the problem of substance abuse.
- To embrace a balanced, integrated and evidence-based approach to the domestic alcohol and drug use and abuse.
- To invest in building safe communities through appropriate alcohol and other drugs prevention and impact minimisation strategies;
- Facilitate the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of responsive interventions for the prevention and treatment of substance abuse.
- Provide a platform for functioning, involvement and participation of various stakeholders in the prevention of and treatment for substance abuse.
- Address the identified gaps in the legislation.
Due to the urgency of addressing, the persistent challenge of alcohol and drug misuse and abuse particularly among children, the department wishes to urge South Africans to submit their comments and inputs on or before 10 December 2023.
Public comments can be submitted to Vathiswad@dsd.gov.za
The gazette can be found on: https://www.dsd.gov.za/index.php/gazzette?task=download.send&id=541&catid=49&m=0
