Whoonga

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Whoonga (or wonga), nyaope and sugars are South African street names for heroin. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Contents

Heroin came into widespread use in South Africa in 2009 [6] but the epidemic of heroin addiction has escalated since 2013 [1] as prices have fallen rapidly in recent years. [1] Heroin is primarily used by unemployed young men. [4]

Usage

Heroin generates intense feelings of euphoria, deep contentment, and relaxation. It also reduces appetite. Effects of may last two to four hours. [7] The drug is usually inhaled after being warmed in a glass pipe but can be also smoked with cannabis in the form of a joint, [8] and also may be injected intravenously although this is rare. [9]

Adverse effects

The effects of heroin typically wear off in 6 to 24 hours, followed by the onset of unpleasant side-effects. [8] These include stomach cramps, backaches, sweating, chills, anxiety, restlessness, depression, nausea, and diarrhea. [8] More serious side-effects include internal bleeding, stomach ulcers, and potentially death. [10]

Rehabs

While there are many rehabilitation centres for wealthy people struggling with addiction in South Africa there are very few facilities for the poor. Some have argued that people struggling with heroin addiction are treated as the 'undeserving poor' and subject to policing rather than medical interventions. In the populous province of KwaZulu-Natal there are only two government rehab centres accessible by poor people. [11] [5]

Urban Legends

Many article in the South African media on 'whoonga', 'nyaope' or ‘sugars’ contain claims that have later been shown by scientific studies to be urban legends. [5] Among others these urban legends include:

Bluetoothing

In early 2017, sensationalist media reports claimed that ‘nyaope’ users shared the drug-induced high through small blood transfusions, a practice supposedly called "bluetoothing" (from the Bluetooth wireless technology). The claim was untrue: the practice is not known on the street [12] and physiologically could not achieve the claimed effect. [13] [5]

Claims that 'whoonga' or 'nyaope' is made from anti-retrovirals, rat poison, etc

Sensationalist media reports have often claimed that ‘whoonga’ or ‘nyaope’ is a uniquely South African drug containing ingredients such as rat poison, anti-retroviral medication and materials gleaned from the cathode tubes in stolen flat screen televisions. [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] However scientific laboratory studies have shown these claims to be urban legends, and that 'whoonga' and 'nyapoe' are in fact simply heroin and do not contain ARV medication, rat poison or chemicals from flat screen televisions. [19] [20] [21] [2] According to researcher Jesse Copelyn it "has been shown "that media accounts that frame nyaope as a new and exotic drug are misleading" and "have obscured the fact that South Africa simply has a major heroin crisis". [2] [5]

Systemic Criminality

It is often said that all or most users sustain their addiction via crime, however academic Mark Hunter shows that the majority work for extremely low pay, often for other poor people. [4] [5]

Stigma

Heroin users are often referred to as 'amaparas' a term that researchers say is a dehumanizing and derogatory term that implies worthlessness and criminality perpetuating marginalization and discrimination and preventing an understanding of the addiction crisis as a medical issue and addicts as people requiring social support. [5]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Heroin use has spread as prices plummet, Jesse Copelyn, GroundUp, 9 October 2024
  2. 1 2 3 SA is facing a fast-escalating heroin crisis — and it’s being misunderstood, Jesse Copelyn, Daily Maverick, 17 April 2024
  3. ↑ The work of whoonga, an epidemic on the move, Mark Hunter, The Daily Maverick, 27 July 2018
  4. 1 2 3 Heroin hustles: Drugs and the laboring poor in South Africa, Mark Hunter, Social Science & Medicine Volume 265, November 2020
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Time for a rational response to the heroin epidemic, Imraan Buccus, IOl, 30 October 2024
  6. ↑ Maseko, Nomsa (18 March 2015). "South African townships' addictive drug cocktail". BBC News.
  7. ↑ "Nyaope / Whoonga". WeDoRecover. 14 April 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 San-Marié Cronjé (21 December 2015). "Signs and symptoms of the use of Dagga and Nyaope". Ridge Times. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  9. ↑ Stephens Molobi (1 February 2017). "NYAOPE BLOOD SHOCK!". DailySun. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  10. ↑ Fihlani, Pumza (28 February 2011). "'Whoonga' threat to South African HIV patients". BBC News. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  11. ↑ Where are the government rehabs?, Mark Hunter, Business Day, 2023
  12. ↑ Nelisiwe Msomi (15 February 2017). "'Bluetoothing': The drug myth that fooled a nation?". Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  13. ↑ Lindile Sifile (8 August 2017). "Bluetooth drug high 'impossible'". The Star. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  14. ↑ Plasma gangs: how South Africans’ fears about crime created an urban legend, Nicky Falkof, The Conversation, 2022
  15. ↑ Richard Knox (18 December 2012). "Dangers of 'Whoonga': Abuse Of AIDS Drugs Stokes Resistance". National Public Radio . Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  16. ↑ Ronelle Ramsamy: Deadly Gamble Archived 6 December 2011 at the Wayback Machine . Zululand Observer, 2010
  17. ↑ Donna Bryson (28 November 2010). "AIDS drugs stolen in South Africa for 'whoonga". SFgate. Associated Press . Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  18. ↑ Hamilton Morris (22 April 2014). "Getting High on HIV Medication". Vice magazine. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  19. ↑ Anders Kelto (28 July 2011). "Heroin's Handmaiden". Dispatches. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
  20. ↑ Samora Chapman (18 September 2013). "Rat Poison & Heroin". Mahala. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013.
  21. ↑ The Cytotoxic Effects of Nyaope, a Heroin-based Street Drug, in SH-SY5Y Neuroblastoma Cells, Willie M.U. Daniels, Matome M. Sekhotha, Nirvana Morgan, Ashmeetha Manilall, IBRO Neuroscience Reports Volume 16, June 2024, Pages 280-290

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