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13 March, 2026, 9:05 am
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Students as young as 10 years old using drugs in schools – Rakikau

Students as young as 10 years old using drugs in schools – Rakikau

By Navitalai Naivalurua
26/06/2025
Photo: File

Serious concerns continue to be raised about students using drugs as the Alcohol and Other Drugs General Counsellor of Substance Abuse Advisory Council Vilisimani Rakikau revealed that students as young as 10 years old are using drugs.

While speaking on the VITIFM Virikawakawa program, Rakikau says the age of students using drugs now is starting from primary school and is moving to secondary school.

He says from 2018 to 2023, there were 35 cases reported on hard drug use and 906 cases of marijuana.

The Counsellor says during the same period, there were 4,020 cases of tobacco use, 3,527 cases of suki, and 1,415 cases of glue or benzene sniffing.

He adds that they have also witnessed an increase in 2024.

Rakikau also shared his concern on the rise of the use of legal drugs such as tobacco and grog by students as this is where students start practising this habit.

Click here for stories on the Drugs Situation in Fiji

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