Report: Substance Abuse Patterns in Caribbean High Schools

This report provides an analysis of substance abuse trends among adolescents in Caribbean secondary schools, focusing on the situation in Jamaica. It examines the prevalence of alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco use among students, drawing on a survey conducted across 38 schools. The study highlights the increasing concern of drug abuse, especially marijuana, among high school students. It discusses the psychological, social, and economic consequences of substance abuse, including mental health issues, risky behaviors, and potential for criminal activities. The report emphasizes the need for school-based interventions, rehabilitation centers, and comprehensive strategies involving youth, education, health, and national security to curb substance abuse. The report concludes by summarizing the current trends and advocating for continued surveillance and prevention efforts.

Running head: SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN CARRIBEAN SCHOOLS
SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN CARRIBEAN SCHOOLS
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author Note

Atkinson, U., Abel, W. D., & Whitehorne-Smith, P. (2015). Current trends in adolescent
substance use in Jamaica. W Indian Med J Open, 2, 15-8.
The respective article depicts the current trends in adolescent substance use and abuse in
the context of high school in the Caribbean island country of Jamaica. The objective of the
particular paper is to carry out a survey which is based on National secondary schools of
Caribbean. The survey was conducted to understand the patterns of drug abuse among the
teenagers reading in the respective schools, the risks and safeguarding aspects of such attitude
and information regarding treatment and prevention of such acts in a resource controlled
situation (Atkinson, Abel & Whitehorne-Smith, 2015). The purpose of the paper is to analyze the
recent vogue and review regarding drug abuse from the last survey of National Schools that were
carried out in the year 2006 by National Council of Drug Abuse. The paper is a critical analysis
of the article dealing with its overtones and themes, its methodologies and the aspects it covers
hereafter.
Marijuana has become a potential threat to the world of youth in Caribbean countries.
The issues of substance use and abuse among the adolescent population of Jamaica have become
not only a national, but a global concern and it needs to be addressed immediately. According to
certain research conducted by social scientists and anthropologists, adolescence is the period of
time when people become overtly curious and experimental regarding forbidden manners and
activities, especially substance abuse. Adolescence is the time when an individual grows
physically, emotionally and mentally. At this time, proper guidance and counsel is important for
them to survive and thrive in the fiercely competitive and unapologetic world. When a person
begins drug abuse initially during the adolescent period, they tend to continue using it well into
their adult lives. They are most vulnerable in using it again in their later life (including middle

and old age) and becoming completely dependent on drugs (Oshi et al., 2017). Drug or substance
abuse can be defined on psychological terms as usage of drugs in an amount or by method which
are harmful to individuals and others. Drug abuse is a form of substance related disorder.
Broadly speaking, drug abuse can be so harmful that it can trigger anti- social behavior and
antipathy towards the general masses and the world, giving rise to criminal activities to a certain
extent. In the process of substance abuse, an individual becomes completely dependent on the
drugs which lead to addictions accompanied by a myriad of psychological disorders. Obsession
towards a particular drug leads to a complete psychological breakdown of the respective person.
Substance misuse and abuse has a wide range of psychological, developmental, social and
economic consequences. Adolescents and teenagers who practice substance abuse become
susceptible to develop behavioral and psychological problems such as depression, anxiety,
intoxication, hallucination, risky sexual practices, impaired memory and poor academic
performance. These people are more prone to criminal activities such as gang violence and
accidents that might claim their as well as other’s lives. From the economic perspective,
dependency on cannabis such as marijuana might result in physiological distortions and diseases
which might lead to huge expenses on healthcare. Such incidents might lead to a loss of
productivity in the workforce as well. Considering the magnitude of these implications, the
National Council of Drug Abuse, in collaboration with Organization of American State/ Inter-
American Drug Abuse Control Commission has taken up the initiative to periodically survey the
patterns of drug usage among the adolescents in schools of Jamaica.
The paper has taken a particular sample of students who represent secondary school
pupils of different backgrounds and age. 3365 students were surveyed and data was collected
from 38 schools across Jamaican island. The cross sectional examination of the research gave the

result where it has been observed that there is a prevalence of hard drinks (alcohol), marijuana,
cigarettes and tobacco utilization among the high school students of Caribbean. The result of the
survey showed that marijuana was among the most widely used substance that the adolescents
utilized and were addicted to it. The results showed the tremendous increase of affinity towards
the hazardous drugs among the adolescent students of the schools. An increasing number of
students have also reported of having addiction even in their later adult years and middle age.
The research has shown a peculiar factor that in case of marijuana, tobacco and alcohol intake,
the consumer students had slightly increased age. Even though alcohol still prevails as the most
widely used substance by Jamaican adolescent students, marijuana comes in the second position.
In spite of marijuana which is consumed by the older adolescents, the effect of marijuana on the
physical and mental health on adolescents is still the same (Bernard et al., 2017). Innovative,
school based interventions are required in order to curb the epidemic of substance abuse among
the students. Rehabilitation centers with eminent psychiatric social workers must be
implemented to curb the growing problem of substance abuse. Multiple and prolonged, effective
strategies that involves the youth, education, health and national security should be identified,
implemented and evaluated in order to effectively address the risks associated with the
occurrence of substance abuse. Surveillance trends should be incorporated in schools and among
parents to curb such issues among the youth thereafter.
The respective article concludes to depict the current trends in adolescent substance use
and abuse in the context of high school in the Caribbean island country of Jamaica. The paper
concludes by carrying out a survey which is based on National secondary schools of Caribbean.
The survey was conducted to understand the patterns of drug abuse among the teenagers reading
in the respective schools, the risks and safeguarding aspects of such attitude and information

regarding treatment and prevention of such acts in a resource controlled situation. The paper
concludes with a critical analysis of the article dealing with its overtones and themes, its
methodologies and the aspects it covers hereafter.

References:
Atkinson, U., Abel, W. D., & Whitehorne-Smith, P. (2015). Current trends in adolescent
substance use in Jamaica. W Indian Med J Open, 2, 15-8.
Bernard, T., Abel, W., Whitehorne-Smith, P., Mitchell, G., Thompson, E., Lalwani, K., ... &
Oshi, D. C. (2017). Cannabis use among secondary school students in Jamaica: Factors
associated with age of initiation. West Indian Med J, 66(5), 546-552.
Oshi, D. C., Abel, W. D., Ricketts-Roomes, T., Agu, C. F., Oshi, S. N., Harrison, J., ... &
Whitehorne-Smith, P. (2017). Associations between Cannabis Use and Multiple
Substance Use among High School Students in Jamaica. West Indian Medical Journal,
66(5).