Parents must acknowledge their own shortcomings if their children turn to drugs, as the blame for the expanding drug scourge does not fall on authorities alone.
The adage “it begins from home” resounded loud and clear during a Speaker’s Debate organised in Suva last week, where Members of Parliament, academia, NGOs and CSOs spoke on the influential position parents had over their children’s lives.
One of the panellists, Save the Children Fiji CEO Shairana Ali, did not mince her words when she called for the implementation of more stringent laws and policies to protect children, which included further investment in preventive programs.
Ms Ali told the attendees of troubling instances of increased number of funerals in some communities, specifically of children who passed away from alleged methamphetamine overdose.
“Reports from our community focal points indicate that numerous children are engaging in glue sniffing, selling loose cigarettes and suki, hard drugs and also injecting drugs, which further increases their risk to HIV infection,” she said.
Ms Ali said this involvement often stemmed from a cycle of drug use in their households.
“For instance, fathers acting as drug pushers expose their children, thereby normalising this lifestyle within the home. There is a noticeable decline in community discourse against drug use as fear of retribution has silenced many. This is exacerbated by inadequate police presence.
“As a consequence of this exposure, children are increasingly opting not to attend school, as they earn money from drug pushers and bring illicit substances to school.”
Ms Ali said the involvement of children in drug use elevated the risk of violence against them as families might resort to harsher disciplinary measures.
“So, the cycle of broken families is more prevalent than ever, with adults facing incarceration due to drug involvement, leaving children without parents or guardians for extended periods.
“This absence further predisposes children to drug involvement and substance abuse, often resulting in trauma and diminished self-confidence due to a lack of structure in their lives.”
A need for rehabilitation
Ms Ali said children involved in drug use lacked access to appropriate rehabilitation programs and services, which further perpetuated their struggles.
She said in light of these stark realities, it was imperative to invest in drug prevention strategies, to safeguard the future generation of Fiji and to design effective and practical prevention strategies.
“It is essential to understand underlying reasons why children and youth are exposed to drugs. So, the absence of parents and guardians is a significant factor, particularly affecting children from broken families.
“Erosion of family values is evident as the lack of parental support contributes to children engaging in illicit activities. Family norms play a critical role.
“Peer pressure remains a predominant factor, with many children lacking supervision, finding solace in their peers, often becoming involved in drug related activities, poverty, and finally, insufficient police visibility, contributes to the prevalence of drugs.”
Ms Ali said there was a need to revitalise and resource relevant agencies and ministries such as the National Substance Abuse Advisory Council, Department for Children and the Ministry of Education.
In addition, she said parents, elders and faith-based organisations and schools must be engaged as well.
“Equally important is the establishment of a support system which must acknowledge a critical gap in our country, which requires a significant investment, particularly in terms of counseling and rehabilitation services for those at risk of addiction.
“We must foster open dialogue surrounding mental health and drug recovery to combat stigma and discrimination, and we must also look at a comprehensive overhaul of our social protection systems and take into account how poverty is impacting the most vulnerable.”
Everyone’s battle
Similar sentiments were echoed by Opposition MP Rinesh Sharma, who said tobacco, alcohol, methamphetamine, cocaine, cannabis had penetrated “into the DNA of our society”.
He said this was further exacerbated by the limited access to mental health services, expertise, resources and facilities.
“Drug addiction and drug withdrawal are both troublesome and in severe cases, life threatening,” he said.
“This forms the basis for drug addiction and the never-ending cycle of drug abuse. With the increase in drugs and alcohol abuse, this shows a rise in STDs, HIV and AIDS and the youth are most vulnerable.”
Mr Sharma also said discipline needed to come back to Fiji’s schools and parents “need to be held accountable”.
“We have free education, but when you get something for free, are you going to value it?
“Look at the number of school dropouts. There was a case where a student punched a teacher. We fought for the rights of students and look where we have ended up.
“Discipline needs to come back to our schools, because where is the safety and security of our teachers?”
He said combating the drug issue required a multi-faceted approach of cooperation and awareness, as well as capacity building in our society.
He said there was a need to strengthen governance, the rule of law, effective legal frameworks and harsh sentencing for those or anyone who supplied, possessed, manufactured, cultivated, used, or administered illicit drugs.
“Be warned, the authorities will come for you.
“We need to equip our law enforcement, health care and rehabilitation centers with resources and necessary expertise. We need to conduct training with our authorities in dealing with such matters.
“Despite all that, this isn’t enough. We need all of you. The drug problem is everyone’s problem. Every Fijian needs to be part of this ongoing battle to address the complexity of our drug issues or crisis.”
Build resilience
Fiji National University (FNU) associate professor of psychiatry Dr Odille Chang said in Fiji, there was almost a three-fold increase in the number of drug related offenses from 2016 to 2020, and a 42 per cent increase in July this year compared to last year.
She said a 2017 Fiji mental health survey showed that there was a prevalence rate of about 6 per cent psychiatric morbidity and a 33 per cent rate of alcohol and drugs use.
Dr Chang said while the drug problem was not new, it was escalating.
“It is important that communities take ownership of this issue and are actively involved in developing solutions that are culturally appropriate and contextualised to our local settings,” she said.
She also said FNU was collaborating with Fiji’s Ministry of Health for a community-based alcohol and drug recovery facility.
“It aims to provide community-based treatment and support to those recovering from substance use disorders and provide community education and awareness.
She said the outcomes of such a project would mean better education and awareness in the community, and enhanced capacity of health professionals and community workers in addressing the substance use disorders in terms of counselling and treatment.
“This project highlights the importance of community engagement and culturally appropriate education and training to address Fiji’s current drug crisis.”
