The Ministry of Health’s latest findings on substance use among secondary school students raise a question that extends well beyond public health: if the Government is prepared to hold nationwide consultations on restricting young people’s access to social media, why has it not launched a similar national conversation on alcohol, vaping and cannabis use among adolescents despite evidence suggesting these pose immediate and well-documented health risks?

Speaking at Guyana’s observance of the International Day Against Illicit Trafficking and Drug Abuse, Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony disclosed that a recent screening of more than 6,000 secondary school students found that 43 per cent reported consuming alcohol, 32 per cent engaged in vaping, and five per cent admitted using cannabis.

“These results are alarming, and therefore we must develop programmes and interventions to prevent it from getting worse,” the minister said.