Our member, UYDEL, provides us with insights into substance use trends among youth, highlighting that the use of substances has not showcased a decline and has seen a shifting pattern. It calls for increased evidence-based interventions, coordinated with various important stakeholders and institutions to be effective.

In Uganda, available data do not indicate a sustained national decline in substance use among youth. While some localized reductions have been observed, particularly in communities with targeted prevention programs, recent studies highlight persistent and shifting patterns of drug use. According to the Uganda Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment (UPHIA) 2020, 11.7% of youth aged 15–24 reported current alcohol use, with higher prevalence in urban areas. Uganda Youth Development Link (UYDEL), through its programming in Kampala and Wakiso, has recorded increasing use of cannabis, inhalants, and non-medical use of prescription drugs such as tramadol and diazepam.

UYDEL’s 2022 survey of 1,200 vulnerable youth revealed that 35% had used alcohol in the past month, 28% had used marijuana or inhalants, and 17% reported misuse of pharmaceutical drugs. These findings suggest that while awareness efforts may reduce alcohol use in some contexts, a worrying substitution effect is occurring, with youth turning to more accessible or less regulated substances.

These trends reflect a broader challenge that aligns with priorities in Uganda’s Third National Development Plan (NDP III), which emphasizes human capital development, particularly in health, education, and youth empowerment. The plan identifies the need to reduce the burden of substance abuse and promote mental health as essential to improving the productivity and well-being of Uganda’s population.

As such, UYDEL supports the NDP III goal of building a healthy and productive population by implementing integrated prevention strategies, including school and community-based education, psychosocial support, and vocational training, to reduce the appeal and accessibility of drugs among youth. Coordinated, evidence-based interventions that engage local governments, health systems, and civil society are essential to reversing current trends and safeguarding the potential of Uganda’s young population.