Students voice concerns about drugs and call for urgent action

Students are now voicing their concerns about the deadly impact that drugs have on their lives and are calling for action from everyone, especially, parents.

During the launch of the National Narcotics Strategy 2023-2028 at the Fiji National University Nasinu Campus, two students took centre stage to voice their concerns on the threatening issue currently impacting the country.

The Deputy Head Girl of Ratu Sukuna Memorial School, Tuana Kateke, says Fiji’s schools which were once a sanctuary of learning, now grapple with an insidious foe known as illicit drugs.

She says in January this year, a staggering 94 percent surge in drug-related incidents from the same month of the previous year shook their corridors.

Kateke says marijuana and methamphetamine, the silent infiltrators, which threaten their well-being and their peers who are unwittingly ensnared, deserve better.

The 18-year-old adds schools are not passive spectators and are slowly but surely putting in place measures to combat this issue.

The Deputy Head Girl says schools recognize that early intervention is crucial and they have employed counsellors who listen to students’ problems, providing support not only for drug-related issues but also for other social and emotional challenges.

She says perhaps the government could ensure that every school has qualified counsellors.

Kateke says holistic interventions go beyond mere drug education, and schools equip their students with leadership skills, decision-making abilities and coping mechanisms.

She adds by addressing mental health alongside substance abuse, schools can empower students to navigate life’s challenges more effectively.

Delainamasi Government School Head Girl Lillian Alyce Wenavanua says the drug issue in the country demands our attention, empathy, and most importantly, everyone’s concerted action.

She says in times of crisis, when stability crumbles and hope hangs by a thread, people turn to various coping mechanisms, such as drugs that offer a fleeting escape from the harsh realities they face.

Wenavanua says addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach rooted in compassion, resilience and collaboration.

She adds that first and foremost, we must prioritize prevention and education by empowering individuals with the knowledge about the risks of substance abuse and effective coping ways which can steer them away from the paths of addiction before it begins.

The Delanamasi Head Girl says that we must also strengthen our healthcare system to ensure access to treatment and rehabilitation services for those affected by drug abuse.

Meanwhile, the National Counter Narcotics Strategy 2023-2028 was launched today at FNU Nasinu Campus by the Deputy Prime Minister and Acting Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration Professor Biman Prasad.