Fiji is confronting a critical juncture in its battle against drug abuse with concerns that the situation may soon spiral beyond control.
This alarming trend is highlighted in You Again, a recent book by Adi Tulia Nacola, which addresses the escalating drug epidemic in the country and the stigma of addiction.
Nacola’s book, launched at the Fiji Museum, presents a sobering analysis of the current state of drug addiction in Fiji through a fictional story about drug and alcohol addicts.
According to Nacola, during her research, she discovered troubling statistics, including the involvement of children as young as ten in illegal drug activities.
These findings reflected a growing crisis, and according to Nacola, could become increasingly unmanageable if left unaddressed.
“I wrote this for anybody who is willing to educate themselves,” Ms Nacola said.
“The way that I did the book was from people with stories who would come out of addiction and members of addicts.”
She said You Again, was written with a focus on the Fijian social context and it aimed to challenge and change the stigma surrounding addiction.
“We can manage this as we coming together as a community.
“I started writing this journey in September of last year.
“I wanted to encourage the community, especially since we are all aware of the drug epidemic that is quite shocking.
“This situation is leaving all of us confused or worried.”
Ms Nacola emphasised the importance of compassion and understanding in dealing with addicts, calling for a community-wide effort to address the issue constructively.
“We need to remove the stigma that surrounds addiction.
“Let’s try and work together as a community, as a family to remove the stigma and tell our stories and experiences and help those in the darkness come in the light.”
The books editor Stephanie Datt supported the initiative, noting that the rising drug crisis was impacting increasingly younger individuals, with children being exploited as drug carriers.
She stressed on the need for urgent and open conversations within communities to address and mitigate the effects of drug abuse.
“You Again is going to have such a fantastic ripple effect, and we are so here for it,” Ms Datt said .
“The age is getting younger, and our very own children are being used as mules and paddlers in these operations.
“If there is any time for people to start having a conversation, to talk to communities and youths, it is now.
“We will be working on more stories and because every problem in society is interlinked, we will be looking at all that affect on our society.”
