The effect of drugs on homeless in Somalia

Participants:

1. Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed

2. Ibrahim Shaafi Maxamed
3. Cabdiraxmaan Abubakar Yacquub

1
 Chapter one
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Overview
This chapter presents different units of study introduction. It consists of the background of the
study, problem statement, objectives of the study, research questions, significance of the study,
scope of the study, operational definitions of key terms and conceptual framework of the study.
Background of the study
Drugs are chemical substances, pharmaceutical preparation or a naturally occurring substance
used primarily to bring about a change in the existing process or state can be called a drug. In
other words, any chemical that alters the physical or mental functioning of an individual is a drug.
Drugs, by interaction change the biochemical systems of the body. If a drug alters sensory
perceptions, mood, thought process, feelings or behavior it is known as a psychoactive drug.
(Barerah, 2018)
The illicit drug problem can be divided into three categories: first, those illicit drugs that are either
produced or processed from natural plant products such as opium poppy: opium, morphine and
heroin; secondly, synthetically produced illicit drugs, such as amphetamine; and thirdly,
psychoactive pharmaceutical drugs that become illicit as a result of being diverted from licit uses
or purposes. The present study is concerned primarily with the first and, to a lesser extent, the
second category. The third category is not considered here, not because knowledge about it is
scant, but because its economic and social impact is quite different from the other two categories.
(European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Review and synthesis of scientific
literature on drug-related non-fatal emergencies. (CT.97.EP.13) Lisbon: EMCDDA, September
1999.)
Smoking and other forms of tobacco use were once limited to some coastal communities. Tobacco
consumption has steadily increased in the last decades. Cigarette smoking is at alarmingly high
levels in all settled communities. The habit is strongly, growing among children who are also
heavily involved in the retail trade of cigarettes. (Abdullahi S. Elmi 1984).
Khat is a stimulant with great social and medical effects. This drug consists of the leaves of Catha
edulis Forsk which are chewed. Khat chewing started and for centuries remained confined in the
north western part of the peninsula. The widespread use of the drug is a phenomenon of the last
few decades. The problems of khat in Somalia have been thoroughly described (Abdullahi S. Elmi
1983, 1984).
Glue sniffing is increasing among adolescents of cities and towns. The phenomenon is notably
growing in Mogadishu. It involves mainly children of poor families and the homeless. The
continuous increase of glue sniffing is due to the rapid and disorderly urbanization which is typical
of many developing countries. This poses a serious problem. The abused substances are plastic
cement glue, spray liquid, gasoline, nail polish etc. No epidemiological studies have been carried
out, therefore the extent of the problem is not accurately defined. (Abdullahi S. Elmi 1984).

2
Cannabis has a relatively low prevalence in Somalia. Its use is traditional among certain
communities of coastal cities. Today's consumers are often young people. The drug is prohibited
but it is introduced illegally. Small plantations of cannabis are from time to time discovered by the
police and destroyed. After khat cannabis is the drug most seized by the police especially in the
form of marijuana. The increasing seizures of the drug in the last years, is probably a sign of its
growing prevalence. (Abdullahi S. Elmi 1984).
Alcohol is not illegal in Somalia. Some alcoholic beverages (spirits), are aiso produced in the
country. Most of the consumed alcohol is however imported. Alcohol consumption is not yet a
serious problem because of some limiting factors. First of all the large majority of the population
being observant muslims regard alcohol drinking as highly despicable. Secondly, alcohol prices
are so high with respect to the average income of the population, that it is a luxury that only few
can afford. However, because of changes in society, alcoholism may be a problem of the future.
Alcohol consumption seems to have slightly increased after khat prohibition (Abdullahi S. Elmi
1984).
The word “homelessness” in English does not always have an equivalent translation in other
languages. In English, “homelessness” suggests both a lack of physical housing and a loss of a
sense of social belonging. homelessness is often based on where individuals live or sleep, for
instance, those who sleep “rough”, in emergency shelters or in institutions, such as prisons or
psychiatric institutions. (HRC, 2015)
The study of drug-related emergencies started in the US, in 1972 as an indicator within the Drug
Abuse Warning Network (DAWN). The ER indicator collects information on patients seeking
hospital emergency department treatment related to their use of an illegal drug or the nonmedical
use of a legal drug. The coverage of the system has changed over time and at present it is
designed to obtain a US representative figure of drug-related emergencies in the coterminous
United States. In a given episode (emergency) several drugs may be involved and they are
described as “mentions”. (European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Review
and synthesis of scientific literature on drug-related non-fatal emergencies. (CT.97.EP.13)
Lisbon: EMCDDA, September 1999.)
Since the early 1990s, South Africa has seen a slow but steady increase in the availability and use
of illicit drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, heroin, LSD, amphetamines, and Ecstasy (Atkins 1997,
Parry, Bhana & Bayley, 1998). Various factors have contributed to the increase in abuse, including
an increase in legal and illegal migration, reductions in internal and border controls following the
collapse of the apartheid regime, social and political liberation which also facilitated the arrival of
new youths movements such as the ‘rave culture’. In addition, more effective policing of
traditional smuggling routes prompted the drug cartels in Asia and South America to look for other
shipping routes. In the process, a proportion of the drugs trafficked ended up on the local market.
Other factors include high unemployment, weakened family and social structures - a result of many
years of apartheid policies - and the establishment of clandestine laboratories manufacturing drugs
such as methaqualone. Moreover, the relative affluence of South Africa in the region makes it an
attractive ‘emerging market’ in its own right (Kibble, 1998; Parry, 1997; Simon 1998)

3
Locally, it is the opinion of many authors that khat was known and used on the Ethiopian uplands,
where probably it originated, in very ancient times. A fascinating, but obviously weak hypothesis,
identifies in khat the magic smoke that inspired the Delphic pythoness, Homer’s “nepenthe”
offered by Helen to Telemacus, and an energetic medicine that Alexander the Great used to cure
his army (Merab, 1929). The first recorded documentation of khat seems to be a manuscript of the
first half of the 14th century by the Sultan of Ifat, Sabar Ad-Din, in which he states his intention
of planting khat in the enemy City of Marad after its conquest (MS.143, Bibiiothcque Nationale,
Paris). From the Harar area, khat has been introduced to the present day territories of Somalia,
Djibouti, Yemen, Kenya, Madagaskar, Tanzania and down to south eastern Africa. The
introduction of khat in south west Arabia, is attributed to Sheikh Abu Zerbin in the year 1424
(Mancioli and Parrinello, 1967).
Although homelessness is an existing problem in the study area, however there are no sufficient studies
related to the problem at hand. Therefore, this study is aimed to determine the effect of drugs on
homeless in Mogadishu, Somalia.

1.2 Problem statement / statement of the problem / research problem

Prohibitionist drug policies have a significant impact on access to drug treatment and proven harm
reduction services for people who use drugs, such as needle and syringe exchange programmes18.
The criminalisation of drug use and possession of drug paraphernalia in some countries creates a
significant barrier to the provision of harm reduction services19 and deters people from accessing
harm reduction services where they may be available; putting people at high risk of blood-borne
diseases such as HIV and hepatitis (See Target 3.3), and of death by overdose20. Less than 8% of
people who use drugs worldwide have access to a needle and syringe programme21, and in some
countries, in particular Russia, opioid substitution therapies remain illicit.2
The challenge facing Somalia and other conflict zones is that it is young people who are most
vulnerable to developmental insults, which can lead to long-lasting and, in some instances,
permanent mental health and physical health problems. Yet it is these very people who are likely
to be recruited for warfare and are active in conflict zones; specifically young men exposed to drug
use and violence, who will then have the most difficulty adjusting to a life free of violence. These
issues warrant further investigation with the engagement of clan leaders and the non-governmental
sector if peace and reconciliation are to be realised and if economic prosperity and the UN
Millennium Goals [9] are to be achieved by all sectors of a war-torn society. (Nasir warfa, 2007)
Although many studies related to the problem at hand have been conducted in many parts of the
world, however, there is a gap in the study area. Therefore, this study is aimed to fill this
literature gap and find out the effect of drugs on homeless in Mogadishu, Somalia.

1.3 Objectives of the study

1.3.1 General objective / main objective / purpose of the study

4
To determine the effect of drugs on homeless in Mogadishu, Somalia.
1.3.2 Specific objectives
 To identify the effect of Tobacco on homeless in Mogadishu, Somalia.
 To describe the effect of Khat on homeless in Mogadishu, Somalia.
 To investigate the effect of Glue sniffing on homeless in Mogadishu, Somalia.
 To find out effect of Alcohol on homeless in Mogadishu, Somalia.
1.4 Research questions / hypothesis
 What are the effects of Tobacco on homeless in Mogadishu, Somalia?
 What are the effects of Khat on homeless in Mogadishu, Somalia?
 What are the effects of Glue sniffing on homeless in Mogadishu, Somalia?
 What are the effects of Alcohol on homeless in Mogadishu, Somalia?
1.4 Research hypothesis
 Tobacco has effects on homeless in Mogadishu, Somalia.
 Khat has effects of on homeless in Mogadishu, Somalia.
 Glue sniffing has effects on homeless in Mogadishu, Somalia.
 Alcohol has effects on homeless in Mogadishu, Somalia..
1.5 Significance / justification / rationale / motivation of the study
This study will be useful for future researchers because it will act as a source of information and
also a guideline for them to follow in the subsequent studies related to same problem under
investigation.
The study will also be useful for institutions both public and private because it makes them aware
of the existing issues and also proper ways to come up with a long lasting solutions for the
researched problems.
The study will also be benefited by the local community because it creates conscious awareness
of the severity of a particular problem and also the urgency of the need for a solution.
1.6 Scope of the study

1.6.1 Time scope

This study will be conducted between July to September, 2021.

1.6.2 Geographical scope

The study will be conducted in Mogadishu, Somalia.

5
 1.6.3 Content scope

The study will focus on the effect of drugs on homeless. The study will specifically focus on the
effects of Tobacco, Khat, Glue sniffing and Alcohol on homelessness.

1.7 Conceptual framework

IV DV

Effects of Drugs Homelessness

Tobacco
Khat
Glue sniffing homelessness

homelessness

6
Reference
(Barerah, 2018), Forms of drug abuse and their effect, P2
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332319381_Forms_of_Drug_Abuse_and_Their_Effects.pdf

(HRC, 2015), Report of the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an
adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context, P4
https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/831237

(Nasir warfa, 2007) Drug Consumption in Conflict Zones in Somalia, P2

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5772843_Drug_Consumption_in_Conflict_Zones_in_Somalia

(Abdullahi S. Elmi 1983, 1984). Substance abuse in Somalia, P181, 182.

https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-8741(83)90052-1

(United nations, office for drug control and crime prevention, 1999) South Africa Country Profile On
Drugs and Crime, P1.
https://www.google.com/search?q=literature.of+illegel.drugs+africapdf&client=ms-android-samsung-gj-
rev1&sxsrf=ALeKk02vvFn9TOSjBKZCkKeyXcb2AuSCSg%3A1627453940952&ei=9PkAYfinOeCFhbIP-
tCSiAw&oq=literature.of+illegel.drugs+africapdf&gs_lcp=ChNtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1zZXJwEAM6BwgjEL
ADECdKBAhBGAFQoEFYzFVgy1doAHAAeACAAcMCiAGdEpIBBTItNS4zmAEAoAEByAEBwAEB&sclient=mo
bile-gws-wiz-serp