Jamaica launches early warning system on drugs

In a landmark event signalling a united front against the rising threat of new psychoactive substances, Jamaica has become the fourth country in the Caribbean, along with Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, to launch an early warning system on drugs.

Developed by the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA), with technical support from Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission of the Organisation of American States, Jamaica's early warning system (EWS) stands as a crucial multidisciplinary network aimed at combatting the proliferation of new psychoactive substances. Under the initiative, the NCDA will collaborate with 15 organisations, chiefly across public health and national security, to curtail drug abuse and illicit trafficking in Jamaica.

Speaking at last Friday's launch at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, junior security minister Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, said the rise in new psychotropic substances poses a significant threat to Jamaica, primarily because of the country's geographic location.

"The country is very vulnerable to drug trafficking and trans-shipment syndicates. The introduction of new drugs is very unpredictable, is poorly understood, and presents distinctive requirements not only for drug treatment and public health, but also for law enforcement," she said.

Cuthbert-Flynn shared that in 2022, the Government was alerted to a growing trend in the use of 'molly' among the youth. She noted that in October 2023, approximately 60 students of Ocho Rios Primary School in St Ann had to receive medical attention after they became ill following the consumption of cannabis-infused sweets bought from a vendor at the school gate.

"Jamaica is very mindful that these new substances are already in our region and we must be alert; we must be ready to tackle this problem head-on with proactive approaches," she said.

Dunstan Bryan, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, emphasised the system's potential to safeguard public health and bolster Jamaica's resilience against emerging drug threats.

"Through this early warning system, the Jamaican Government and the people will be better able to monitor and deliver alerts on changes in drug situations, and develop rapid and effective responses. The early warning system will also have the capacity to inform on consumption patterns, adverse effects, and exclusive events linked to drug consumption," Bryan said.

Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission of the Organisation of American States, Ambassador Adam Namm, said Jamaica's launch of the EWS on drugs speaks to the Government's commitment to combatting the grave and growing risk of illegal synthetic drugs to the health and safety of Jamaicans.

"I know that you will reap benefits in terms of timely response to drug threats and, more importantly, the improved health and safety of your citizenry. We are committed to supporting Jamaica in addressing the drug problem, and I look forward to Jamaica's early warning system developing into a model for other countries to follow," Namm said.