Check importers, takers of dangerous alcohol

Reports on dangerous drinking habits among the youth in Mbeya Region are most disturbing. The situation depicts a state of hopelessness. It is like relevant authorities are in such a deep slumber they cannot do anything to curtail the smuggling of cheap potent liquors that end up in the hands of the youth at ridiculously low prices.

It means everybody can afford to get drunk, even the jobless! Those taking the hard stuff express loss of the sense of direction. What this means is that the nation cannot count on them unless something is done now to bring sense of direction to their lives.

The situation in Mbeya is but the tip of the iceberg, for the scourge of drunkenness can be found across the country. A good number of young people now take highly intoxicating alcohol on claims that it helps them to forget their problems.

These are youth who have lost all hope. We have just too many young people who don’t know what they want in life. They lead the existence of fatalists with a “come-what-may” attitude!

They have turned into empty shells, a prey to some selfish wealth seekers who will do anything, including the sacrificing of our young, to get rich.

The entire society, but more so the leadership, from the grassroots to the national level, is responsible for this state of affairs.

Non-governmental and government leaders must play their role effectively in addressing this degradation of our youth. Relevant authorities like the Tanzania Revenue Authority and the police must ensure that illegal products do not enter the country.

It is time educational institutions focused on teaching about the value and purpose of human life. Those seeking wealth must learn to do so through legitimate and morally acceptable means.

We must agree: failure to address alcoholism and drug abuse among our youth could easily plunge the nation into a state of hopelessness. We shouldn’t allow that.