In My Say this week, I will speak on why we should support the joint Police-military operation to destroy marijuana farms in the Navosa highlands.

We do not want to be famous for the wrong reason to be called the Drug Capital of the Pacific. But that could happen soon, if it has not already happened, unless we do something about it.

The Police and the military are doing something about it. Under the direction of Police Commissioner Brigadier-General Sitiveni Qiliho, a joint operation called ‘Operation Cavuraka’ has been raiding and destroying marijuana farms in the Navosa highlands, one of the known big producers of marijuana in the country.

This is not just about destroying the plants, it’s about eliminating the principal commercial source of the marijuana trade. It’s also about eliminating marijuana’s evil and destructive influence on health, lives and families.

The discovery and destruction of more than 30,000 marijuana plants in nurseries and farms so far indicate that this is part of an elaborate scheme involving a sizeable number of people.

The evidence unearthed also indicates the existence of a lucrative illicit drug trade. Its size is not clear but it could run into thousands of dollars.

Internationally, we are even rated under the Cannabis Capitals of Consumption in the world by EconomyWatch.com. Cannabis is another word for marijunana or Indian hemp.

There are cannabis users everywhere, but the highest prevalence is in Oceania (9.3 per cent-o 14.8 per cent).

In New Zealand, for example, the prevalence is 14.6 per cent of the population aged 14-64 years. Lifetime prevalence of cannabis abuse in Fiji and Papua New Guinea is about 47 and 55 per cent respectively.

The next highest prevalence is in the Americas (6.3 per cent to 6.6 per cent) Information I share with you today on the detrimental effects of marijuana is taken from a wide range of literature that is easily accessible.

One of the problems that developing countries like Fiji face is that it can’t absorb the consequences of increased drug use.

It’s a looming crisis that would enslave millions to the misery of drug dependence.

Research and a growing number of studies in humans indicate that marijuana exposure can cause long-term or possibly permanent adverse changes in the brain.

Experts say abusing marijuana can result in problems with memory, learning, mood and social behaviour. It can interfere with family, school, work, and other activities.

Research has shown that marijuana’s adverse impact on learning and memory can last for days or weeks after the acute effects of the drug wear off.

As a result, a person who smokes marijuana every day may be functioning at a reduced intellectual level all of the time.

Long-term marijuana abuse can lead to addiction.

An addicted person will exhibit compulsive drug seeking and use despite the obvious harmful effects upon social functioning in the context of family, school, work, and recreational activities.

This is the big reason why we should support the Police to stamp out illegal drugs.

Marijuana users usually graduate to harder drugs like heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine.

We should all teach our young people and children to say no to drugs.

The pervasive influence of drugs can corrupt every tenet of our society and undo all the good work we have done like we have seen in some countries in South America and Africa, and Afghanistan.

Feedback: nemani.delaibatiki@fijisun.com.fj