Drug cases among Fiji’s students increased slightly from 3041 in 2024 to 3143 in 2025.
National Substance Abuse Advisory Council acting chief executive Josua Naisele revealed the figures, saying, however, it still represented less than 2 per cent of the country’s 180,000 enrolled students.
“The main target is to ensure that our children do not use drugs,” Mr Naisele said. “And the most commonly used substances among students we found are tobacco products, including suki, cigarettes, and weed.”
He explained that tobacco use often precedes experimentation with alcohol or marijuana, influenced in part by community behaviours perceived as normal.
“So when the tobacco was collected, these three tobacco products normally top the list.
“Before they could use marijuana, they start off with cigarettes, with suki, then cigarettes, then alcohol, and maybe marijuana. They see this in the community and think it is normal.”
Mr Naisele highlighted ongoing school-based interventions aimed at educating students about the chemical dangers of all drugs.
“It’s manageable at the moment, but the concern is the gradual increase over the years.”
He also noted that no cases involving meth have been reported in schools so far, describing it as a positive sign.
He urged schools to promptly alert authorities if any student is found using illicit drugs, so support and interventions can be provided in coordination with relevant stakeholders.
“So we are trying to extend our services, and make sure that when they come into the community, they are also safe.
“So this is where I am making a request to our organisation, the faith-based organisation, the 1-1, and all other organizations.”
