Africa: Drug production, drug problems and the legacies of colonialism

Simon Howell, Clemence Rusenga, Gernot Klantschnig and Neil Carrier

Chapter 22 in Research Handbook on Drugs and Society, 2026, pp 280-291 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: In this chapter we critically engage with the perceptions of illegal substance production, trade, and use in African countries. We argue that many of the “problems” associated with illegal substances in African countries not only have their roots in colonial interventions and policies but are still persistent even in other regions. We further argue that the complexity of African societies requires nuanced and self-reflexive interventions that are considerate of the multiple meanings and multiple uses that illegal substances may have in local communities. Rather than responses to illegal substances in African countries being seen as yet another example of state failure in Africa, we argue that there are multiple examples of effective responses that may act as both lessons and models for other countries that continue to seek alternative responses to the production, distribution, and use of such substances in their own countries.

Keywords: Illegal substances; Africa; Harm reduction; Colonialism; War on drugs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781802209136
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