Substance abuse cases ‘doubled’

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High Court judge Salesi Temo. Picture: JONA KONATACI/FILE

THE number of substance abuse cases being dealt with by the St Giles Psychiatric Hospital has doubled compared with previous years.

This was revealed by acting medical superintendent Dr Kiran Gaikwad during Leadership Fiji’s National Dialogue on Substance Abuse held at the University of the South Pacific yesterday.

He said it was a growing and sensitive issue.

“The classes of drugs include alcohol, cannabis, inhalants like glue, opioids like morphine, stimulants like amphetamine and cocaine and many more,” he said.

“Substance abuse disorder involves a pathological pattern of behaviours in which patients continue to use a substance which leads to significant problems.”

He said substance abuse disorder was classified as a disease on its own.

“We have to remember that this is a disease where people continue to compulsively use drugs despite its consequences.”

Dr Gaikwad said drugs not only affected the person taking it but alsothose around him or her.
 

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