Longmore flags youth drug abuse concern

Psychiatrist and government Senator Dr Saphire Longmore is pushing for increased public education for young people about the ill effects of drug abuse, with substance use reportedly on the rise locally.

Longmore told her colleagues in the Senate last week that there were significant concerns within the health sector about the increasing trends related to substance abuse among children and young people.

Speaking on the motion for adjournment in the Senate, Longmore said that there was the increased use of cannabis, Molly or Ecstasy, and vaping. She also warned about the prevalence of edibles.

The government senator also said she was shocked at hearing that there was an increase in the use of hard drugs such as heroin in Jamaica.

With November being observed as Drug Awareness Month, Longmore said that about 80 per cent of “our children claim to engage in alcohol use or are exposed to it before the age of 14, with average onset being between 12 and 13 years old”.

She added: “Marijuana use is recorded at about 13 per cent prevalence amongst our youth, and I think that has gone up since the decriminalisation that happened in 2015.”

Longmore called for the public education drive on substance abuse to be increased, especially for at-risk youth.

“This is a growing concern and we encourage the awareness to be maintained and not just in this month,” she said.

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