Anti-retroviral drugs for AIDS instead SMOKED by S. African teens to get high

[Xoce]

Yes, we should keep sending billions in monetary aid, food aid, and medicine, because such great things are done with foreign aid.  One of the primary reasons I embrace JTF is because of its ANTI-FOREIGN-AID (foreign welfare) stance!!  (Not to mention how it CALLS SAVAGES SAVAGES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

I AM APPALLED, YET AGAIN!!! BY THIS:  Anti-retroviral drugs used to treat HIV/Aids are being bought and smoked by teenagers in South Africa to get high

Getting high on HIV drugs in S Africa
Alka Marwaha
BBC News

Anti-retroviral drugs used to treat HIV/Aids are being bought and smoked by teenagers in South Africa to get high.

Reports suggest that the drugs are being sold by patients and even healthcare staff for money.

Schoolchildren have been spotted smoking the drugs, which are ground into powder and sometimes mixed with painkillers or marijuana.

Aids patients themselves have been found smoking the drugs instead of taking them as prescribed.

Anti-retrovirals are used to boost the immune system of people with HIV and to suppress the virus in the blood.

"I couldn't believe it. I was shocked at first, these were school boys in their school uniforms," documentary-maker Tooli Nhlapo told the BBC World Service's Outlook programme.

"They take a pill and grind it, until it is a powder. Some also mix it with painkillers and others mix it with marijuana," said Ms Nhlapo. "They showed me how they roll it and smoke it."

Hallucinogenic

When the South African Broadcasting Corporation documentary-maker first investigated the story, she was told to wait until school finished, so she could actually see how young some of the users were.

Cannabis marijuana plants
The pills are crushed and mixed with other ingredients, like marijuana

"I thought I was going to go to a tavern and see older drug addicts doing this, but I was shocked when I saw school children," she said.

"One who spoke to me very frankly was only 15 and the oldest person I spoke to was 21, but it's mainly youngsters, teenagers."

Smoking the pills has a hallucinogenic and relaxing effect.

"When I asked them why they like doing it, they said it helps them relax and forget about their problems," said Ms Nhlapo.

"When you look at them, just a few seconds after taking it, they are in another world," she added.

The children do not know where they are and they stop making sense.

The young users that Ms Nhlapo spoke to get access to these drugs from HIV patients or healthcare workers.

They know when the individual patients go to collect the drugs and buy them, or if they do not have any money, they steal them.

"When I was doing the story, many HIV patients were complaining that they don't get the drugs and that queues are long and it was taking a long time to access them," said Ms Nhlapo.

Widespread problem

Dr Kas Kasongo, who advises on an anti-retroviral drugs panel in South Africa, feels that there needs to be some measure of accountability or a system to be able to track the usage of drugs.

"We need pharmacists and good administrators but again it is a social problem," he said.

"I don't think our role as doctors should be to just dish out drugs. We have to make sure that these drugs are taken as recommended."

When Ms Nhlapo first came across this new drug phenomenon, she thought it was just happening in one area, among a small group of people.

"I went back to the township and then I discovered that it was something that was known in the entire township," she said.

It had now become a national problem in South Africa, she added.

Dr Kasongo continued: "Not taking the optimum dose as recommended will not suppress the virus and the CD4 count will be destroyed massively and that's what we are trying to prevent by giving anti-retroviral medication."

Side-effects

Most anti-retroviral drugs can be given to both children and adults, Dr Kasongo said. But there was one exception.

"There is one that is being abused that should only be used above the age of three or four years," he added.

"Remember we are giving anti-retroviral drugs to those infected with HIV, who will eventually develop Aids.

"So, people who are healthy, that are taking this medication are exposing themselves to potential side-effects of these drugs," he added.

HIV patients are exposing themselves to huge risks by not taking the prescribed drugs as they should, he warned.

"We don't have more than 20 anti-retroviral drugs on the market and remember, they have to be used in a cocktail of at least three or four," said Dr Kasongo.

"Therefore, abusing a particular drug, whichever it is, is a concern because it can give rise to resistance to drugs within that same group," he added.

Dr Kasongo stressed that it will take a huge team effort, involving the government, social workers and education authorities to combat the problem.

"It is well organised, no matter how high they are, they do not tell you who is giving them the drugs," said Ms Nhlapo.

[SavetheWest]

Yes, we should keep sending billions in monetary aid, food aid, and medicine, because such great things are done with foreign aid.  One of the primary reasons I embrace JTF is because of its ANTI-FOREIGN-AID (foreign welfare) stance!!  (Not to mention how it CALLS SAVAGES SAVAGES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

I AM APPALLED, YET AGAIN!!! BY THIS:  Anti-retroviral drugs used to treat HIV/Aids are being bought and smoked by teenagers in South Africa to get high

Getting high on HIV drugs in S Africa
Alka Marwaha
BBC News

Anti-retroviral drugs used to treat HIV/Aids are being bought and smoked by teenagers in South Africa to get high.

Reports suggest that the drugs are being sold by patients and even healthcare staff for money.

Schoolchildren have been spotted smoking the drugs, which are ground into powder and sometimes mixed with painkillers or marijuana.

Aids patients themselves have been found smoking the drugs instead of taking them as prescribed.

Anti-retrovirals are used to boost the immune system of people with HIV and to suppress the virus in the blood.

"I couldn't believe it. I was shocked at first, these were school boys in their school uniforms," documentary-maker Tooli Nhlapo told the BBC World Service's Outlook programme.

"They take a pill and grind it, until it is a powder. Some also mix it with painkillers and others mix it with marijuana," said Ms Nhlapo. "They showed me how they roll it and smoke it."

Hallucinogenic

When the South African Broadcasting Corporation documentary-maker first investigated the story, she was told to wait until school finished, so she could actually see how young some of the users were.

Cannabis marijuana plants
The pills are crushed and mixed with other ingredients, like marijuana

"I thought I was going to go to a tavern and see older drug addicts doing this, but I was shocked when I saw school children," she said.

"One who spoke to me very frankly was only 15 and the oldest person I spoke to was 21, but it's mainly youngsters, teenagers."

Smoking the pills has a hallucinogenic and relaxing effect.

"When I asked them why they like doing it, they said it helps them relax and forget about their problems," said Ms Nhlapo.

"When you look at them, just a few seconds after taking it, they are in another world," she added.

The children do not know where they are and they stop making sense.

The young users that Ms Nhlapo spoke to get access to these drugs from HIV patients or healthcare workers.

They know when the individual patients go to collect the drugs and buy them, or if they do not have any money, they steal them.

"When I was doing the story, many HIV patients were complaining that they don't get the drugs and that queues are long and it was taking a long time to access them," said Ms Nhlapo.

Widespread problem

Dr Kas Kasongo, who advises on an anti-retroviral drugs panel in South Africa, feels that there needs to be some measure of accountability or a system to be able to track the usage of drugs.

"We need pharmacists and good administrators but again it is a social problem," he said.

"I don't think our role as doctors should be to just dish out drugs. We have to make sure that these drugs are taken as recommended."

When Ms Nhlapo first came across this new drug phenomenon, she thought it was just happening in one area, among a small group of people.

"I went back to the township and then I discovered that it was something that was known in the entire township," she said.

It had now become a national problem in South Africa, she added.

Dr Kasongo continued: "Not taking the optimum dose as recommended will not suppress the virus and the CD4 count will be destroyed massively and that's what we are trying to prevent by giving anti-retroviral medication."

Side-effects

Most anti-retroviral drugs can be given to both children and adults, Dr Kasongo said. But there was one exception.

"There is one that is being abused that should only be used above the age of three or four years," he added.

"Remember we are giving anti-retroviral drugs to those infected with HIV, who will eventually develop Aids.

"So, people who are healthy, that are taking this medication are exposing themselves to potential side-effects of these drugs," he added.

HIV patients are exposing themselves to huge risks by not taking the prescribed drugs as they should, he warned.

"We don't have more than 20 anti-retroviral drugs on the market and remember, they have to be used in a cocktail of at least three or four," said Dr Kasongo.

"Therefore, abusing a particular drug, whichever it is, is a concern because it can give rise to resistance to drugs within that same group," he added.

Dr Kasongo stressed that it will take a huge team effort, involving the government, social workers and education authorities to combat the problem.

"It is well organised, no matter how high they are, they do not tell you who is giving them the drugs," said Ms Nhlapo.

This sounds like some twisted late night comedy skit, it's so crazy.  They seem like they just can't stay away from self destruction.  I guess it's a party on the Gates Foundation and Oprah.

[Sentinel For Truth]

If they smoke the anti-retroviral drugs and then sodomize each other and give each other the gay plague, then the cure will be to rape a 3 year old because as everyone in sub-Saharan Africa knows, sex with a virgin will cure AIDS. 

These baboons are too stupid to save.  I say detach completely from the white man's burden:  No food aid, no AIDS aid, no military aid, no aid period.  They can go dig out grubs from a fallen tree trunk.  Then we can send them Bono and they can cook him in a big pot and eat him like in the old cannibal movies.

[Dr. Dan]

sure...smoking it will clear their HIV better...didn't you know?

but here's the problem (if you want to call it that...it might be a solution really)...the smoking of the drug will give them lung cancer and make them (even more) brain dead and kill them faster...

[Ulli]

This is really crazy.

[NRAJ]

Yeah,I think I posted this maybe last month or so.Here's the direct link.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7768059.stm

[Abben]

Yes, we should keep sending billions in monetary aid, food aid, and medicine, because such great things are done with foreign aid.  One of the primary reasons I embrace JTF is because of its ANTI-FOREIGN-AID (foreign welfare) stance!!  (Not to mention how it CALLS SAVAGES SAVAGES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

I AM APPALLED, YET AGAIN!!! BY THIS:  Anti-retroviral drugs used to treat HIV/Aids are being bought and smoked by teenagers in South Africa to get high

Getting high on HIV drugs in S Africa
Alka Marwaha
BBC News

Anti-retroviral drugs used to treat HIV/Aids are being bought and smoked by teenagers in South Africa to get high.

Reports suggest that the drugs are being sold by patients and even healthcare staff for money.

Schoolchildren have been spotted smoking the drugs, which are ground into powder and sometimes mixed with painkillers or marijuana.

Aids patients themselves have been found smoking the drugs instead of taking them as prescribed.

Anti-retrovirals are used to boost the immune system of people with HIV and to suppress the virus in the blood.

"I couldn't believe it. I was shocked at first, these were school boys in their school uniforms," documentary-maker Tooli Nhlapo told the BBC World Service's Outlook programme.

"They take a pill and grind it, until it is a powder. Some also mix it with painkillers and others mix it with marijuana," said Ms Nhlapo. "They showed me how they roll it and smoke it."

Hallucinogenic

When the South African Broadcasting Corporation documentary-maker first investigated the story, she was told to wait until school finished, so she could actually see how young some of the users were.

Cannabis marijuana plants
The pills are crushed and mixed with other ingredients, like marijuana

"I thought I was going to go to a tavern and see older drug addicts doing this, but I was shocked when I saw school children," she said.

"One who spoke to me very frankly was only 15 and the oldest person I spoke to was 21, but it's mainly youngsters, teenagers."

Smoking the pills has a hallucinogenic and relaxing effect.

"When I asked them why they like doing it, they said it helps them relax and forget about their problems," said Ms Nhlapo.

"When you look at them, just a few seconds after taking it, they are in another world," she added.

The children do not know where they are and they stop making sense.

The young users that Ms Nhlapo spoke to get access to these drugs from HIV patients or healthcare workers.

They know when the individual patients go to collect the drugs and buy them, or if they do not have any money, they steal them.

"When I was doing the story, many HIV patients were complaining that they don't get the drugs and that queues are long and it was taking a long time to access them," said Ms Nhlapo.

Widespread problem

Dr Kas Kasongo, who advises on an anti-retroviral drugs panel in South Africa, feels that there needs to be some measure of accountability or a system to be able to track the usage of drugs.

"We need pharmacists and good administrators but again it is a social problem," he said.

"I don't think our role as doctors should be to just dish out drugs. We have to make sure that these drugs are taken as recommended."

When Ms Nhlapo first came across this new drug phenomenon, she thought it was just happening in one area, among a small group of people.

"I went back to the township and then I discovered that it was something that was known in the entire township," she said.

It had now become a national problem in South Africa, she added.

Dr Kasongo continued: "Not taking the optimum dose as recommended will not suppress the virus and the CD4 count will be destroyed massively and that's what we are trying to prevent by giving anti-retroviral medication."

Side-effects

Most anti-retroviral drugs can be given to both children and adults, Dr Kasongo said. But there was one exception.

"There is one that is being abused that should only be used above the age of three or four years," he added.

"Remember we are giving anti-retroviral drugs to those infected with HIV, who will eventually develop Aids.

"So, people who are healthy, that are taking this medication are exposing themselves to potential side-effects of these drugs," he added.

HIV patients are exposing themselves to huge risks by not taking the prescribed drugs as they should, he warned.

"We don't have more than 20 anti-retroviral drugs on the market and remember, they have to be used in a cocktail of at least three or four," said Dr Kasongo.

"Therefore, abusing a particular drug, whichever it is, is a concern because it can give rise to resistance to drugs within that same group," he added.

Dr Kasongo stressed that it will take a huge team effort, involving the government, social workers and education authorities to combat the problem.

"It is well organised, no matter how high they are, they do not tell you who is giving them the drugs," said Ms Nhlapo.

This sounds like some twisted late night comedy skit, it's so crazy.  They seem like they just can't stay away from self destruction.  I guess it's a party on the Gates Foundation and Oprah.

It does sound like a skit sounds so hard to believe. And yet a lot of American doctors go there to save them.

[cjd]

What an entire waste of time and resources. Why is the United States wasting time and money that could be better spent helping people that try to help themselves. That worse part of the entire situation is your going to see program after program put in place over the next few years by our African born illegitimate president (in more ways than one) to try an combat African starvation and illness the end results will be even more disease and starvation.

[Daleksfearme]

teens will smoke anything to get high. In rehab they roll up Christmas tree pine neddles in paper to smoke, or pick the locks on the drug box, or pay off the staff or steal a neddle and inject beer directly into their veins....and these were the rich white Jewish kids.

[zachor_ve_kavod]

What we need to do now is send them a couple hundred billion more dollars for drug counselling and rehab clinics.  We need to address their pain.  This drug use is only symptomatic of the pain caused by ongoing povery and western oppression.  We need to send more money.  Also, we need to allow more South Africans to immigrate here.  We need to show them the good life.  We also need to take on their culture to make them feel more at home.  It is up to us in this priveleged society to look after these people, to care for them, to empathize with them.  We don't win unless we all win.

--or--

We can cut our losses and wash our hands of them and start looking after our own interests.

[IsraelForever]

What amazes me is that Black people, who call themselves African-Americans, never gave an ounce of credit or an ounce of love toward President George W. Bush who spent more billions on helping Africans than anyone.  And they still spit on him (figuratively speaking), booed him, and treated him with nothing but enormous hatred.   Talk about no good dead going unpunished.

[Xoce]

What we need to do now is send them a couple hundred billion more dollars for drug counselling and rehab clinics.  We need to address their pain.  This drug use is only symptomatic of the pain caused by ongoing povery and western oppression.  We need to send more money.  Also, we need to allow more South Africans to immigrate here.  We need to show them the good life.  We also need to take on their culture to make them feel more at home.  It is up to us in this priveleged society to look after these people, to care for them, to empathize with them.  We don't win unless we all win.

--or--

We can cut our losses and wash our hands of them and start looking after our own interests.

Zachor!!! I know you are being sarcastic with the first portion (although that will likely end up being the course of action), but please spare me the mind-boggling and headache of having to read it at JTF!   
 

[Xoce]

What amazes me is that Black people, who call themselves African-Americans, never gave an ounce of credit or an ounce of love toward President George W. Bush who spent more billions on helping Africans than anyone.  And they still spit on him (figuratively speaking), booed him, and treated him with nothing but enormous hatred.   Talk about no good dead going unpunished.

Hear, hear.

[Rubystars]

If we would just leave them alone most of them would starve or die of AIDS or eating each other soon. By sending so much aid to them we are causing more babies to be born there which is prolonging and increasing the horrible suffering. I don't have a problem with responsible private charities helping some communities there, but I don't think any public money should go to Africa.

[Xoce]

Yeah,I think I posted this maybe last month or so.Here's the direct link.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7768059.stm

yes you did NRAJ, but this deserved a thread of it's own!!! you only posted the link, which I clicked on and replied to here http://jtf.org/forum_english/index.php/topic,29360.msg317215.html#msg317215, but no one else did!

Now look at the many replies!!!

Thank you for introducing the link!