Health Ministry to assess drug prevalence with National Survey
Sept. 1, 2022
KINGSTON, Jamaica. Thursday, September 1, 2022: The Ministry of Health & Wellness is financing a multimillion-dollar National Drug Prevalence Survey, as part of efforts to assess the use of new and emergent psychoactive substances, including ‘molly’, among children and adolescents.
Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton made the disclosure at a joint press briefing, held earlier today in conjunction with education officials at the Ministry’s New Kingston offices.
The survey is expected to cost some $16 million and will be deployed by the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA), the drug prevention and treatment arm of the Ministry of Health and Wellness.
“It came out of the need for evidence-based research to guide the alcohol use policy and the need for a full assessment on all substance use, including tobacco and other new and emerging psychoactive substances,” Dr. Tufton noted.
The household survey will serve as a follow-up to the NCDA’s Rapid Situation Assessment on Substance Use and Urgent Issues in Secondary Schools. The assessment, findings of which were revealed at the press briefing sought to disclose, among other things, perceptions on the substances being used by adolescents and changes in patterns of use.
One hundred and sixty (160) students from grades 8 to 10 and twenty (20) Guidance Counsellors were participants in the study. It revealed that the party drug ‘molly’ was among the substances in demand by secondary students.
“A greater part of the concern is the ease of access and exposure to the drug. Students identified purchasing pills online or accessing it in communities. Others were knowledgeable about its effects having witnessed their peers with it,” the Minister of Health and Wellness highlighted.
According to drug experts, ‘molly’ enhances mood and produces a stimulant-like effect, drives the propensity for sexual activity and has high-abuse potential. It also damages brain function and cognitive development.
While the rapid situation methodology is not statistically representative of the pervasiveness of substance use, this approach allows qualitative data to be captured. The Minister of Health and Wellness added that the preliminary findings will aid in deploying interventions to address the problem.
“Essentially, this is a snapshot giving us a look at the realities faced by our youth,” he said.
Multi-Level Response
In addition to the National Prevalence Survey, the drug prevention and treatment programme of the NCDA will form a critical part of the response to substance use among secondary school students.
The NCDA’s multi-level interventions which include screening, testing and counselling will also feature partnership with the Ministry of Education and Youth to scale up the ability of teachers to provide brief interventions. The NCDA will also coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Youth to strengthen school-based drug prevention programmes.
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