Drugs sold at R3 per pill cause children to act like zombies, says pastor

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Cape Town - A highly addictive prescription drug which is used to treat panic disorders is now being sold to children in Lavender Hill for R3 a tablet. A father says the children call the drug “perky”, which makes them “act like zombies”. The Western Cape Education Department confirmed they’ve received reports of children getting high on alprazolam, better known by its trading name, Xanax. Pastor Mark Nicholson, who runs a soup kitchen and a soccer club in Lavender Hill, says he wants to make parents aware of the pills after he confiscated an empty Xanax container from sellers. This after his 16-year-old son bought three of the pills and drank it with Coke, leaving him in a “zombie-like” state for days.

On Saturday, the pastor went “undercover” and asked a young man to buy him a pill from the dealer.

He then took the oval-shaped white tablet to a pharmacy where he found out it was Xanax.

He later approached the drug dealer and searched him, removing an empty container which takes 100 tablets.

Xanax is used to treat anxiety and panic disorders by slowing down or depressing the central nervous system.

“I heard children speaking of this thing called Perky,” says Pastor Mark.

“On Saturday my son came home and I immediately noticed that something was wrong.

“I said you are drugged and I smacked him.

“I called his friend who is 14 and he and my son admitted they bought this pill at Pontac Court where these guys are selling it.

“They said they paid R3 per pill. I asked how much my son had because he was like a zombie, he kept walking into things. He had three and drank it with Coke.”

Mark says he sought medical attention for his son.

“At the local chemist and the day hospital they said there is nothing they can do because it’s not dagga or tik. He had to sleep it off.”

Mark says authorities need to urgently intervene: “This is a serious issue because children at the local high school are using it.”

WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond says they have been alerted to the Xanax threat: “Reports have indicated that learners in the Lavender Hill area are being sold the drug at R3 per pill.

“The drug seemingly affects learner’s behaviour and attention span.

“SAPS has been alerted. Intervention and prevention strategies are being discussed.

“We hope that local law enforcement will discover the source and its distribution networks before more learners are targeted.

“It has serious negative side-effects and is highly addictive.”

Police spokesperson Siyabulela Malo says they are not aware of the problem.

Daily Voice