Dept: Drug, alcohol abuse rising

By GLENDA AWAKIAK
ABUSE of alcohol and drugs has increased drastically in the country, Department of Justice and Attorney-General Secretary Lawrence Kalinoe, pictured, says.
Kalinoe said the abuse of marijuana, especially among young people in villages, towns and cities had resulted in the upsurge in crime, violence and corruption.
He was speaking during the opening of the two-day induction workshop by the National Narcotics Bureau on data and information collection in Port Moresby.
“Drug abuse has spread to various age groups and the trend that it is spreading is very frightening and is a big threat to our future,” he said.
“Reports on drug arrests and raids are escalating and something needs to be done now to reduce this problem.
“Abuse of drug has led to the destruction of individual life, family units and the entire communities and it undermines national economies.”
He said another consequence associated with intravenous drug abuse was the high risk of spreading HIV/AIDS.
“The scope of the narcotics problems today in Papua New Guinea has only begun to be realised on the socio-economic front and there is no longer a question of social consequences of widespread drug abuse,” Kalinoe said.
According to the coordinator of Rehabilitation, Treatment and Counselling, John Mark, there were new methods of consuming drugs already in use in some parts of the Highlands.
Mark said people were preparing it with food and eating as well drinking them.