Nyaope addiction: The despair of a lost generation

Nyaope, a cocktail drug, with heroin as its main ingredient, is widely used by many young and poor people in predominantly Black townships in South Africa. This qualitative study aimed to explore and describe the effect of nyaope on the lives of the users by means of focus group discussions and in depth interviews. All ethical principles were adhered to, and data collection continued until data saturation was reached, which was after 68 nyaope users were interviewed. The findings are that the addictive nature of nyaope interrupts the physical, mental and social health of the lives of young South Africans.