• Holland And Barrett Vitamins Gibraltar Offer

Jun 26 - Government Launched Drug Strategy Committee to Focus on Extent of Drug Abuse Problem within Gibraltar

drug strategy committeeIn an attempt to tackle the ever-present issue of drug and alcohol abuse within Gibraltar, an inter-ministerial committee was formed today, marking International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The committee is set to be chaired by Care Agency Minister Samantha Sacramento and will include Justice Minister Gilbert Licudi, health minister Dr. John Cortes, Sports and Youth minister Steven Linares and a number of other participants including the Care Agency CEO, Chief Inspector Richard Ullger of the RGP, and a number of health experts.

The committee will initially set out to collate empirical data on how substance abuse is affecting Gibraltar’s community. The process will include RGP statistics on drug arrests as well as Care Agency statistics on Bruce’s Farm service users. Minister Sacramento explained that this information alone is not a true reflection of the problem, which is why the committee will also use data collected from anonymous questionnaires.

Justice Minister Gilbert Licudi insisted that the focus of the committee is to find out the extent of the problem. Following the first phase of data collection, the committee will receive recommendations. The Minister added, ‘it’s important to emphasize; we’re not starting from zero. [RGP Commissioner Yome] has highlighted the work that the Royal Gibraltar Police and other agencies in Gibraltar do already in terms of combatting crime to do with illicit drug taking and that sort of activity. That is something that is on going, and has happened for a long time. We are building on that by trying to focus on the nature of the problem and trying to identify trends and see where we can build from there and what sort of strategy can be adopted; to the extent that there is a suggestion that we might need some legislative intervention in order to assist in a particular area. That is something that my department, the Ministry of Justice would certainly be very happy to look at.’

For his part, RGP Commissioner Eddie Yome commented that the force is leading by example and will be endorsing a new drug testing policy for RGP staff. He encouraged others within the public and private sector to follow their example.

Minister Linares pushed for further youth involvement in sports and cultural activities in order to deter them from the temptation of taking drugs. He added that our youth could follow from the example of the GFA and their new UEFA membership.