ST. ANN, Jamaica — Minister of Health and Wellness, Christopher Tufton, is urging residents of St. Ann to take a more active role in addressing substance abuse, warning that the issue is negatively affecting families, children, and the overall well-being of communities across the parish.
Speaking at the reopening and handover ceremony for the Bamboo Community Health Centre on June 5, Dr. Tufton stressed that tackling substance abuse requires a united effort from parents, schools, churches, and community members.
“When it comes to our children, we as a community have to do more to give them the protection that they deserve,” he said.
The minister encouraged residents to adopt healthier lifestyles and consider the long-term consequences of substance misuse.
“The short-term pleasure from overconsumption or, indeed, consumption is not worth the long-term pain that will follow,” he cautioned.
Dr. Tufton also highlighted the need for greater vigilance in protecting children from harmful influences, including those encountered through social media and peer pressure.
Regional Manager for the Northeast Region at the National Council on Drug Abuse, Nordia Henry, emphasized the importance of prevention and strong family support systems.
“The community, the family, is the foundation. It’s where learning begins, and it’s where we have to begin,” she said.
Henry noted that the NCDA provides parenting programmes, school-based interventions, and counselling services aimed at supporting children and families. She also expressed concern over the increasing availability of ganja-infused edibles and alcohol-laced gummy bears among school-aged children, warning that these substances can harm academic performance, relationships, and mental health.
Meanwhile, Medical Officer of Health for St. Ann, Tamieka Henry, said substance misuse remains a serious concern among young people whose brains are still developing.
“Their brains are still developing, and so impulse control and decision-making are not so good when they’re taking these stimulants. When they’re taking these drugs, it further impairs that decision-making, and so what we have been seeing are increases in our sexually transmitted infections,” she explained.
Dr. Henry encouraged young people to make healthy choices, stressing that decisions made today can have lasting effects on their future health and well-being.
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