Tracing My Roots: An Ethnographic Review of “Sugars” Addiction

“Sugars” is an illicit drug cocktail that has gained popularity in Chatsworth, KwaZulu-Natal, which was prehistorically classified as an Indian township. This area has now become interracial but is still predominantly inhabited by South Africans of Indian descent. “Sugars” is a mixture of various ingredients including low-grade heroin, and its cycle of addiction has proven difficult to rehabilitate in affected individuals. This is possibly due to the variation in its composition, which may lead to ineffective treatment. Addiction is thought to be influenced by both genetic and environmental cues; therefore, this review provides an introspective view on how the living conditions in Chatsworth may have played a role in making its community susceptible to drug use. This review is therefore a reflexive ethnography, which uses the first authors’ childhood experiences of growing up in Chatsworth as a foundation to understand the challenges and experiences that the local community has been exposed to over the years. This review also focuses on the marketing tactics used in the illegal drug trade, the scientific background of “Sugars” and addiction, and possible suggestions on ameliorating the drug problem in South Africa. The combination of science and ethnographical viewpoints in this review article provides an interesting and informative perspective of the “Sugars” issue in Chatsworth, Durban, South Africa.