Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton wants parents, schools, and community leaders to join in the ongoing fight against the use and distribution of synthetic and recreational drugs, describing it as a major health and social risk.

Tufton, who was addressing a press briefing at the Western Regional Health Authority’s (WRHA) office in Montego Bay yesterday, where the 2026 edition of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking was celebrated.

“This is not a problem affecting only us. Synthetic drugs and new psychoactive substances are becoming a rapidly growing concern, and a regional assessment has identified increasing use of ecstasy, methamphetamine, ketamine, synthetic cannabinoids, and other emerging substances among young people and within nightlife settings,” said Tufton.