KINGSTON, Jamaica– Jamaica is moving to establish an earlywarning system (EWS) on drugs.
The Ministry of National Security is collaborating with the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA) and other local stakeholders to establish the EWS, which is a multi-disciplinary network incorporating several organizations and personnel directly or indirectly involved in work to curtail drug abuse and illicit trafficking.
These include ministry agencies and organizations such as the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Narcotics Division, the Jamaica Crime Observatory the Institute of Forensic Science and Legal Medicine, as well as the Jamaica Customs Agency, the Ministry of Health and Wellness, along with drug treatment specialists and local hospitals.
Rohan Richards, chief technical director in the Ministry of National Security, said a multi-stakeholder effort is needed as the government continues efforts to stem the supply of drugs.
“Our geographical position and the growing association between drugs and crime necessitate a collaborative approach to tackling the issues that face us,” said Richards.
The EWS is designed to identify early events that pose a threat to public health and security regarding new psychoactive substances (NPS) or “emerging drugs” and facilitate the rapid exchange of information.
