Shine A Light: Meth Use Up Among Youth
The Police source said meth was widely available in the streets of Suva. He said they had noticed a lot of young people now taking the drug, especially in nightclubs.
Tuesday 09 May 2023 | 12:15
Nightclubs are one of the popular night spots where young people find conducive to take drugs. Source: Downunder Facebook page
The increased domestic drug use has reached a point where more young people are becoming serious addicts of synthetic drugs, especially methamphetamine.
Methamphetamine, also known as meth or ice, is a synthetic drug, and ingredients used to produce it are chemical substances.
Young people are also used as facilitators in drug transactions.
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In certain cases, Police find that locals are paid with the commodity (illicit drugs) rather than money for facilitating the transaction.
Minister for Home Affairs Pio Tikoduadua said it was concerning that children on the streets were used in the drug industry.
“The nation is not doing enough on the war on drugs,” he said during an interview yesterday.
Police sources say the use of methamphetamine in the streets of Suva and nightclubs has grown out of hand.
Several nightclub bouncers we spoke to admit that many young people, who frequent the clubs, are meth users.
The St Giles Psychiatric Hospital treats meth addicts, most of whom are young people in their 20s.
Fiji Police Force Director Narcotics Serupepeli Neiko admits the country’s war against illicit drugs is only going to get worse.
Minister for Home Affairs Pio Tikoduadua.
REHABILITATION
Dr Crookes said rehabilitation was a big task for Government and health services to provide.
“It means a lot of investment and setting up a range of recovery and rehabilitation activities and spaces,” she said.
Meth addicts display various kinds of symptoms, some more severe than marijuana cases.
Symptoms depend on how long they have been taking the drug.
Those with aggressive symptoms indicate the severity of their drug intake, and they would require a much longer rehabilitation period.
St Giles clinicians do not have the capacity nor the specialty to treat meth addicts.
“The clinicians are really hoping that investment is made for drug rehabilitation specialist centers to reduce the pressure on them,” she said.
Dr Crookes said treatment should focus on their health and brain to remove the addiction and help their physical recovery.
GOVERNMENT WORK
In a statement he made as the president of the National Federation Party in September 2022, Mr Tikoduadua questioned why the previous Government and Police were tightlipped on the fight against importation and manufacture of methamphetamine.
In August 2019, Mr Tikoduadua had suggested that the Government at the time establish a special parliamentary committee to look at the problem holistically.
This motion was rejected.
However, as the current Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Tikoduadua is still insisting on a parliamentary committee to look at the issue in isolation.
“Police are completely stretched. It is getting too cumbersome in terms of the Police to handle it alone…our drug problem needs a whole of nation approach,” he said.
Story by: ivamere.nataro@fijisun.com.fj
