Gov't working on more drug intervention programmes - Hon Malone
The Minister was at the time speaking on the Tuesday, October 22, 2019, edition of 'Honestly Speaking' with host Claude O. Skelton-Cline on ZBVI 780am when he was asked to input on the alleged high use of marijuana among the territory's youths.
According to Hon Malone, the programmes that have been instituted currently in the territory and under his portfolio are based on early intervention with drug use; however, he noted that more needs to be done.
Intervention needed - Hon Malone
"Unfortunately, sometimes it is after the case is full-blown that we seek to intervene... we have an issue and we're looking in terms of medium and long term of how we can develop centres that we can better accommodate and take care of our own people," he said.
On the October 8, 2019, edition of his Honestly Speaking show, and without providing any solid statistics to back his claims, Skelton-Cline declared that drug use amongst men and youths in the Virgin Islands was now at a staggering high.
"There's a high use of drugs. Marijuana is one of the chief forms but is no longer limited to just that, and let's be honest... clearly because where are located in the Caribbean... drugs has always been an issue but we have never been a people who use drugs," he told his listening audience.
"I am deeply concerned about the social challenges that we are going to face when our young people in a disproportionate fashion get hooked on this stuff and the havoc it creates to them and their families," Skelton-Cline said.
Local treatment a priority
According to the Minister, recognising that too often reform programmes have to be done in overseas counties like the US Virgin Islands (USVI), Trinidad and Tobago or Antigua, he is seeking better ways to handle the issue.
"At a behavioural health centre [locally], there is a reform programme and we have in a social development area... we have institutions, we have offices, we have departments who are specifically geared towards having the early intervention," he said.
Hon Malone, however, reiterated that he recognises that full programmes have to be instituted locally so that his ministry can have the issue of drug use handled early in the addiction stage.
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8 Responses to “Gov't working on more drug intervention programmes - Hon Malone”
They act as though its some sort of nourishing food that can fill them.
Eventually its going to cause harm to their brains.
I may enjoying drinking alcohol beverages, but I love my life so I would never abuse it.
I drink responsively.
Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Mathew 4:4
Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. Genesis 1:29
I may enjoying drinking alcohol beverages, but I love my life so I would never abuse it.
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it give its colour in the cup, when it move itself aright. At the last it bites like a serpent, and stinges like an adder. Proverbs 23:31 -32