Whoonga Addiction
Whoonga addiction is rife in South Africa amongst to poorer population. Whooga is also known as nyaope, it is a street drug-specific to South Africa. Whoonga is a form of black tar heroin mixed with marijuana and other substances, that has come into widespread use in South Africa since. Its first appeared in the impoverished townships of Durban, it is now appearing in other places in South Africa.
What is Whoonga?
Whoonga dealers will often introduce the drug as a powerful Marijuana blend. Dealers add powdered substances into the mix to bulk up the size, profiting more from the sale of the diluted drug. Mixes range from actual pharmaceutical drugs, cleaning chemicals, to any powder-based substance that can be found. Whoonga/ Nayope is firstly very addictive because of the heroin content and the more dangerous a problem as there is no way of telling what other volatile, poisonous, or inert elements are put into the Nyaope mix sold on the street, the ingredients vary from place to place and dealer to dealer.
Sometimes the drug is said to contain antiretroviral drugs particularly efavirenz of the type prescribed to treat HIV. Dealers are known to add “all sorts of stuff” to a drug to bulk it out.
How is Whoonga used?
Whoonga is said to be used as a recreational drug. It generates intense feelings of euphoria, deep contentment, and relaxation. It also reduces appetite. Effects of whoonga may last two to four hours.
The cost of the drug is reported to be about 30 rands per straw. Whoonga addict needs several doses a day, however, users are typically too poor to afford the drug and often resort to crime to pay for their addiction.
Withdrawal symptoms of whoonga
The effects of whoonga wear off in 6 to 24 hours, allowing for the onset of unpleasant side-effects which include, agonizing stomach cramps, backache, sweating, chills, anxiety, restlessness, depression, nausea, and diarrhea.
ARCA Rehabs can assist with detox and rehabilitation of whoonga.