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Call for national priority on drug abuse

Published:Monday | June 7, 2010 | 12:00 AM
District Constable Janet Sutherland, of the Transnational Crime and Narcotics Division of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, shows two Bibles that were used to traffic marijuana. She was addressing pastors participating in a recent drug abuse counselling and lifestyle training programme at offices of the East Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in Kingston. - Photo by Nigel Coke

A call has been made for the Government to place more priority on drug abuse and abusers.

Michael Tucker, executive director of the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA), made the call last Thursday after outlining the various physical, social, educational and financial problems created by substance abusers.

Tucker said he believed "there must be recognition (often there isn't) that the large drug don that we often try to go after ... lives and strives because that drug user who buys the drugs supports the drug don. Unless the connection is made and there is an understanding that as much resources that go into targeting that drug don should also go into preventing the use of drugs or treating those that need help, then we are fighting a difficult battle."

Tucker was addressing 44 pastors and lay persons who graduated from the Drug Abuse Counselling and Lifestyle Training Certification for Pastors organised by the health ministries department of the East Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (EJC) in collaboration with the NCDA. The graduation ceremony was held at the EJC headquarters in Kingston.

Tucker added: "We need financial and human resources along with policy in place to assist with the programme that we do. There must be more collaboration and national priority given to dealing with drug abuse. Drug supply is a priority but most priority needs to be given to the prevention of drug abuse and treatment for drug users."

Four-week programme

The training programme, which lasted for four weeks and 20 hours, covered topics such as drug-abuse prevention, the process of addiction, reasons for substance abuse and the effects of drug abuse and addiction on society and individuals.

In addition to an initial test at the start of the course, a final test was given at the end.

In his opening remarks, EJC president, Pastor Adrian Cotterell, reiterated the Adventist Church's stance on drug use.

"Our church vigorously opposes the use and misuse of drugs in all its forms. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we should honour Him by preserving our bodies," he said.