28/09/2023
Seminar held to improve the national response to drug demand and supply
By Julita Peter, Ministry of the Public Service
The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs, with support from OAS/CICAD recently conducted a workshop for stakeholders engaged in the national response to drug demand and supply.
During the seminar, focus was specifically targeted at using a collective approach to developing an early warning system that will allow Saint Lucia to have a more agile and proactive response to present and emerging drug threats.
Acting Coordinator of the Substance Abuse Advisory Council Secretariat (SAACS), Natasha Lloyd-Felix, said the Secretariat has been made aware of the emergence of new substances in the region.
“Many may be eats and treats, including cookies and cakes that contain products that may present a potential risk to health and impair judgment. The early warning system will increase the likelihood of protecting the health and wellbeing of younger ones. We also request that parents heighten their levels of alertness as it relates to young children’s use of social media platforms as we do note an increased level of creativity in the marketing of these products using popular forums on which young people dialogue and communicate. Through our collective efforts we can improve the level of protection and preserve the health and well-being of our young people and nation as a whole.”
According to Felix, there is need for more targeted interventions among the most vulnerable population segments. SAACS is appealing to parents and guardians to increase their vigilance and to caution young people within their care about the things they purchase or accept for consumption.
“We are also asking for a degree of social media vigilance as well, because we know that innovative methods are being used to market these items to reach our young people which may seem to be normal commercial products but that really contain ingredients that can threaten their health and their safety.
An early warning system for drug threats and trends will allow for more rapid and accurate information on new and emerging phenomena in the drug market, and a rapid evaluation of the risks and impacts associated with the use of new psychoactive substances.
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