National Narcotics Control Bureau

Community Participation

Many island communities are taking the lead in controlling drugs in their islands. One recent example is the youth community of Kulhuduffushi. After realizing that their island is becoming a hub of the social evils associated with drugs, prominent youngsters decided to do something about it.

The youth of the island sought support from NNCB and Maldives Police service to help them organize an anti-drug campaign in their island. With their support the youngsters organized two workshops one of drug prevention and the other on drug supply reduction.

Following the initiative, the police have made several arrests in Kulhuduffushi, bringing hope to the island.

Earlier this year the island community of Milandu in North Miladummadulu Atoll also took such an initiative. An NNCB team visited the island to support the community.

Such actions by communities are bringing new hope to the nation-wide fight against drugs. Communities can help prevent drugs in their islands through activities such as:

Identifying drug dealers in their islands and working with the authorities to stop their activities;
Identifying youngsters returning from Male or resorts with drug habits. If such youngsters remain on the island they can easily spread the habit to vulnerable children. They should therefore be encouraged to go for rehabilitation.
Carrying out life skills development programs in the schools.

The Challenge

Illicit drugs are a global impediment to the social and economic development of nations. The impact of the drug scourge has been particularly severe on the Maldives, threatening her prosperity, good health, and indeed her whole future.

In the past decade we have intensified our efforts to stop the drug menace. But we, as a nation, need to do even more to ensure that criminals, who put their own interests before those of the nation, do not take our common heritage away from us.

The lesson we learn from other countries is that drug abuse is a hydra-like multifaceted issue. It requires a balanced well-coordinated multi-sectoral approach, encompassing measures to stop illicit drugs from entering the country and to reduce the demand for them. Both these aspects are equally important and need to be given the same, high priority.

We, therefore, call upon all Maldivians, as indeed the international community, to support fully our efforts to eliminate the scourge of illicit drugs from the Maldives and beyond our borders. This is the challenge and we must commit ourselves to this challenge.