- The problem of drug abuse, addiction, and trafficking ranks second among the country’s most important issues that Seychellois want their government to address, trailing only the rising cost of living (Figure 1).
- Most Seychellois (95%) have heard of the government’s methadone treatment programme for heroin users (Figure 2).
- Among citizens who have heard of the programme, a majority (57%) consider it “not at all” effective, while about four in 10 (39%) consider it at least “somewhat effective” (Figure 3).
- Fewer than four in 10 respondents say they trust the Seychelles Coast Guard (39%), the DSAPTR (35%), judges and magistrates (34%), religious leaders (34%), and customs officers (31%) to fulfil their role in combating drug abuse (Figure 4). Even fewer express confidence in the anti-drug efforts of the police (24%), politicians (19%), and prison officers (19%).
- Compared to survey findings in 2022, trust levels in these authorities have dropped by 10-22 percentage points.
- On how well the government is addressing drug abuse, half (50%) of Seychellois describe the government’s performance as “fairly” or “very” good, while 47% disagree (Figure 5). Favourable evaluations of the government’s drug-fighting efforts have declined by 5 percentage points since 2022 (Figure 5).
Most Seychellois consider drug abuse, addiction, and trafficking to be among the top issues they want their government to tackle, the latest Afrobarometer survey indicates.
Findings also show that while most citizens are aware of the national methadone treatment programme for heroin users, fewer than half consider it effective; a majority consider it “not at all” effective.
Trust in government institutions tasked with combating drug abuse is also generally low. Among the institutions assessed, the Seychelles Coast Guard is the most trusted, with fewer than half of citizens expressing confidence in it, followed by the Division for Substance Abuse Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation (DSAPTR); judges and magistrates; religious leaders; and customs officers. Compared with 2022, public confidence in all of these institutions has declined markedly.