When I was taking marijuana, I was not scared of anything because it made me bold - Waqainavatu

'When I was taking marijuana, I was not scared of anything because it made me bold.'

This was highlighted by a reformed drug addict, Osea Waqainavatu during the Substance Abuse – Let’s Talk About It! Finding a Fijian Solution Dialogue at USP.

Waqainavatu says that he started using marijuana when he was just 19 years old.

He says it also helped him with his personal problems, but little did he know that it was bringing damage to his life.

Waqainavatu says when he went to Australia, he ended up taking marijuana that was mixed with rat poison and mortein spray.

He says while he was taking this drug in Australia he ended up being hospitalised and suffered from a throat infection.

Waqainavatu says there came a time when he told himself that he will stop, but he could not because they were always searching for the peak feeling that came to them when they first took it.

He says he was fortunate enough to be able to leave his drug addiction at a rehab centre.

Waqainavatu says at the rehab centre he helped people just like him who could not find a way out of their addiction.

He says this is where he found his purpose.

Waqainavatu says he told himself that he would come back to Fiji and share this with those that think there is no way out of adiction.

He says there is a need to work together to fight drugs.