It is a well-known fact that Mauritius is a “drug hub”. Its geographical position makes it one of the favourite spots for drug traffickers, as it is located between Africa and Europe. But Mauritius is also famous for its high rate of drug consumption. The annual report of the United Nations Office for Drug Control (UNODC) places Mauritius at the top of the list for drug consumption in Africa and in the third place worldwide for 2005.

In fact, the cause of such high consumption may well be that Mauritius is a hub. It differs from all other countries in the types of drugs used. Unlike African countries, Mauritius is more affected by hard drugs like heroin than by cannabis or ecstasy. Precisely because the drugs transiting through Mauritius are hard drugs.

There’s not much reason to be proud of such results. Not only do they tarnish the country’s image at the international level but they also show that drugs are one of the major social problems in Mauritius. According to the report, 2% of people between 15 and 64 take drugs. These statistics are even more alarming than those of the second African countries in terms of drug consumption, Kenya and Morocco with 0.2%.

In view of this bleak situation, social workers and associations have all joined together to try and reduce the number of drug abusers. They assert they have already done a good job. But Ally Lazer points to another problem. “If we really want to solve the problem of drug abuse in Mauritius, the authorities should shoulder their responsibilities and make sure they provide the means to do it.”