ABSTRACT

Objective: National secondary school-based drug surveys facilitate the identification and understanding of patterns of substance use among adolescents, associated risk and protective factors which exist and inform prevention and treatment interventions and policies which are appropriate for resource constrained settings. This paper analyses current trends as well as reviews trends from the last National School Survey conducted by the National Council on Drug Abuse in 2006.

ABSTRACT

Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) use became more prominent during the 1990s in various parts of the developed world. To date, no case of GHB use has been identified in Jamaica, though this drug is frequently used in other parts of the world at “raves” and other parties characterized by elaborate lights and fast-paced music. Here, a case of a 30-year old visitor to Jamaica is presented, highlighting the typical features of GHB withdrawal and the ease with which this party drug can be imported into the country.