Izisulu Zikagwayi Ezingavikelekile Neze

UMBIKO ka-1989 kadokotela ohlinzayo ophethe-jikelele ubonisa ukuthi uma umuntu eqala ukubhema esemncane kakhulu, kunokwenzeka kakhulu ukuba abulawe umdlavuza wamaphaphu. “Ababhemayo abaqala beneminyaka engaphezu kwengu-25 banesilinganiso somdlavuza wamaphaphu esiphindwe kahlanu kunaleso sabangabhemi; ababhemayo abaqala phakathi neminyaka yobudala ephakathi kwengu-20 nengu-24 banesilinganiso esiphezulu ngokuphindwe izikhathi ezingu-9. Ababhemayo abaqala bephakathi kuka-15 no-19 ubudala banesilinganiso esingaphezulu ngokuphindwe izikhathi ezingu-14 futhi labo abaqala ngaphambi kokuba babe neminyaka engu-15 banesilinganiso somdlavuza esiphezulu ngokuphindwe izikhathi ezingu-19 kunalabo abangabhemi.”

Ezimweni eziningi ukubhema kumane kungukuqala kohambo lwezidakamizwa. Intsha ephakathi kweminyaka yobudala engu-12 nengu-17 ebhemayo yatholakala ukuthi kungenzeka ngokungaphezu kwezikhathi ezingu-10 ukuba isebenzise insangu nezingu-14 ukuba isebenzise icocaine, izidunga-ngqondo, noma iheroin. Ukuhlola okuningi kubonisa ukuthi imihuqa yotshwala engaphezu kwamaphesenti angu-90 nemilutha yeheroin ingamaxhwele kagwayi.

Ukuhlola kwamuva kukaGallup kwabonisa ukuthi amaphesenti angu-64 entsha ayefuna ukuba ugwayi uvalwe kulabo abangaphansi kuka-21 nokuthi “ukuphikiswa okukhulu kwemithetho enjalo kuvela kubantu abadala abenza imali ngokudayisela intsha ugwayi.”—Psychiatric, Mental Health, and Behavioral Medicine News Update, March-April, 1990. ikhasi 1.