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| SABC1's Tshisa Cast |
The statistics of drug usage amongst teenagers ockingly incereasing and there has been huge concerns on how the media might be impacting on this. Kids are know for being copy cats: they do whatever they see being done, especially by the people they consider as their heroes... So, is the media, then helping increase instead of decreasing the drug usage in South Africa by airing shows like Tshisa, where the drug uasage is so explicit and is done by the "cool kidz" like Bongani Masondo (Bafana),Innocent Masuku (Baksteen) and Thandi Matlaila (Lindiwe). The media potrays these drug habits as some cool habits to practice, and hardly ever shows how these drug users die, or maybe even lose all they have because of drugs.. All we ever see is the high lives that these user live,the fancy parties they attend nad how their rich families always jump in for their rescue, sending them to rehab only for them to return and go back to their old habits.
I feel that the media should, more often, show the real dangers and situations that drug user get into.. they should look more into the real lives of people who once had the money to go to the fancy parties, wear the right clothes and still afford huge grams of coke, but now can't.... That is the only way that the children of South Africa will see the dangers of using drugs and stay away from them
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| A Smack User getting a fix. |
The media should also potray in a serious way, how people also struggle with drug, cigarrete and alcohol addictions and, often can only be saved by rehab, which also doesn't guarantee much that they will quit. |
| A Smoker struggling with addiction. |

And lastly, the media should, more often show how people struggle to get into rehab... How they are forcefully dragged by their few, privilaged loved ones who are able to afford rehab to give themany who use but cant even afford rehab a chance to see what they are letting themselves by taking drugs.