There are plans to setup an addiction treatment program in Fiji by next year - Irwin

Salvation Army Divisional Leader for Fiji, Major Alistar Irwin says there are plans to set up an addiction treatment program in Fiji by next year.

Major Irwin says they are working with New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to source some funds to enable them to set up this program.

He also says there have been discussions with the Ministry of Health.

Irwin also says it is scary about the revelation that young people are lacing marijuana with methamphetamine and also young people as  8 years are sniffing glue.

 Young people are now lacing marijuana with other drugs.

Young people are now lacing marijuana with other drugs - Volatabu
By Naveel Krishant

Young people are now lacing marijuana with other drugs.

This was highlighted by Drug-Free World Director, Kalesi Volatabu while answering a question should baby steps be taken towards legalising marijuana during the Substance Abuse – Let’s Talk About It! Finding a Fijian Solution dialogue at USP.

The National Dialogue is being organised by Leadership Fiji with the support of the Ministry of Defence.

Volatabu also highlighted that a young girl was taken to Saint Giles Hospital last week because of lacing drugs.

The Provincial Director Operations at the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs, Livai Siga says they are against the legalization of marijuana.

Salvation Army Divisional Leader for Fiji, Major Alistair Irwin says, in his personal view he supports the idea that there should be baby steps taken towards legalising marijuana.

He says if you have a lot of it, it is addictive but in moderation it is not addictive.

Ministry of MOMS Network Director Ellana Kalounisiga says personally she supports moving forward to looking at baby steps at legalizing marijuana.

Locking up drug-addicted people cannot fix their addiction problem - Irwin  [13-11-19]

By: Navitalai Naivalurua 

The Divisional Leader for Fiji Salvation Army, Major Alistar Irwin says locking up drug-addicted people cannot fix their addiction problem as drugs are available in prisons as well.

He says it should be looked at as a public health issue.

While speaking at the National Dialogue on Substance Abuse Program at the USP AUSAID Theatre, Irwin says the war on drugs is similar in every country in the world and it has always been a tragic failure.

He says this is because the war is not focusing on the root causes of the problem which are family, social and political causes.

Irwin says there is a trail of shocking statistics of suicides, broken families and road deaths that are the results of the use of illicit drugs.

Drug abuse is not a government problem but a national problem - Kalounisiga [ 13-11-19]

By: Shanil Singh 

Ministry of MOMS Network Director Ellana Kalounisiga says drug abuse is not a government problem but a national problem and it is our duty as citizens to stand up and fight.

Kalounisiga says they don't want people to rely on the Police and the government because they already have enough on their shoulders.

She says not having any Drug Rehabilitation Centre in the country is also a huge concern.

She says they have joined forces with Drug-Free World where they will focus on the awareness programs while to open a drop-in centre in Suva.

Kalounisiga says one of their aims is to encourage parents to learn about drugs and to have an open conversation with their children.

She says the kids know about drugs and the more information parents have, the more facts they can give them and help them with their choices.

Kalounisiga adds they have not met a child that does not know about methamphetamine and this is extremely sad.

Awareness and a whole of nation approach is critical in addressing Fiji's growing drug problem - Seruiratu
By Semi Turaga

Minister for National Security and Defence Inia Seruiratu says awareness and a whole of nation approach is critical in addressing Fiji's growing drug problem.

Speaking at the National Dialogue titled “Substance Abuse – Let’s Talk About It! Finding a Fijian Solution! underway at the USP AusAid Lecture Theatre, Seruiratu says when things go wrong government is always blamed but he always argues that there is no government without communities and agencies.

The National Dialogue is being organised by Leadership Fiji with the support of the Ministry of Defence.

Seruiratu says when he joined the Ministry of Defence, he intervened and made sure that there was a whole of nation approach taken to deal with Fiji's drug problem.

Those that missed out from registering can watch the live stream on fijivillage.com and our Facebook page Fijivillage and also participate by sending in their questions, suggestions, and ideas on this issue.

The program will finish at 5pm today.

It's easy for those who haven't experienced dealing with a loved one faced with drug addiction to judge - Parkinson
By Iva Danford

Leadership Fiji Chairman William Parkinson says it is easy for those who have not experienced dealing with a loved one faced with drug addiction to judge.

Parkinson highlighted this during the National Dialogue titled “Substance Abuse – Let’s Talk About It! Finding a Fijian Solution! underway at the USP AusAid Lecture Theatre.

He says he knows that people are quick to judge, and he knows this because of the personal experience he has on a loved one that is facing drug addiction.

Parkinson says addiction is not about the addict as it affects all of those people around them.

He says we need to look at this as a much wider issue then just seeing the victims as the addict themselves.

Parkinson says we know that we have got a problem it is time for us to talk about this issue as a community.

Fiji is far from being alone in dealing with drug and substance abuse problems - Curr
By Naveel Krishant

New Zealand's High Commissioner to Fiji Jonathan Curr says Fiji is far from being alone in dealing with drug and substance abuse problems, other neighboring countries such as Samoa, Tonga, and New Zealand are also affected.

While speaking at the National Dialogue titled “Substance Abuse – Let’s Talk About It! Finding a Fijian Solution!” organised by Leadership Fiji with the support of the Ministry of Defence at the USP AusAid Lecture Theatre Curr says much like Fiji, New Zealand sees the value in taking a cross nation approach to limiting the harm of drug use.

Curr says there are many ways to tackle this issue.

He says he acknowledges that there is potentially more work that we need to do together to support harm and demand reduction, to support those whose lives have been harmed by drugs and help build resilience in the community so that the demand for drugs is reduced.

Curr further says that combating drugs and the harm they cause will need everyone's cooperation.

Curr also says in the first six months of operation, the Dog Detector Unit at the Nadi International Airport was instrumental in intercepting 13 hard cases of drug cases worth more than $6.1 million.

Curr says there have been many more seizures since then by the Dog Detector Unit.

He says they are in the process of designing a major new initiative between Fiji and New Zealand Police to develop a new Policing Cooperation program.