Inspector Donu (right)

In a sad revelation, Police say that two youths in Suva recently lost their lives due to methamphetamine addiction.

Speaking during the launch of the Yasayasa Moala Youth Festival in Lau yesterday Inspector Usaia Donu says the two victims were in the withdrawal phase.

He says this is the deadly consequence of methamphetamine.

Inspector Donu says that the increasing presence of drugs in Fiji, particularly methamphetamine commonly known as “ice”, poses a serious threat to young Fijians.

He urged the festival attendees to avoid experimenting with the drug, noting that methamphetamine can lead to extreme psychological effects and physical harm, even death.

“There is an increased number of drugs currently in Fiji, one of them is ice, and you shouldn’t play around with it. Youth that are listening here today, some weeks back, some youths died. I believe two youths from Suva died because of the use of methamphetamine or ice. Ice, ladies and gentlemen listening, is not planted; it’s a mixture of a number of medicines. Methamphetamine, let me shorten it, is deadly.” 

Inspector Donu encouraged the participants to engage with the police and other authorities during the festival to learn more about the dangers of drug use and to seek help if needed.

The Yasayasa Moala Youth Festival, which began on Wednesday and ends today is attended by youths from the four islands of the Lau province—Moala, Matuku, Totoya, and Vanuavatu.

It is the fourth youth festival organized by the Ministry this year, aiming to empower young people and provide them with the knowledge to make informed decisions about their lives.