Guyana has launched an Early Warning System on Drugs – becoming the 7^th country in the Caribbean to do so.  

The warning system is in response to the evolving drug landscape, which is no longer limited to traditional substances, and now includes a wave of psychoactive substances.

Using the system, the law enforcement, health and forensic sectors, in particular the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory, will be able to connect in real time and detect emerging drug threats, share information and take preventive action.

The Government of Italy, the Organization of American States (OAS), the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) and CARICOM are among other institutions supporting the initiative

Director of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), James Singh said the warning system was conceptualized based on Guyana’s National Drug Strategy Master Plan 2022-2026 with the intention of strengthening institutional coordination in the fight against the spread and use of illicit drugs.

“No single agency can deal with this alone, it takes a coordinated effort. But it is also to enhance public safety and integrate scientific data into policy and operational decisions. In practical terms it means that when a new drug or when a new dangerous substance emerges whether it is on the streets, whether it is a lab report, or in a hospital, the early warning system will ensure that that data is captured, verified and translated into actionable intelligence for all relevant stakeholders. This is not just about a technical development, it is a national safeguard and one that will save lives,” the CANU Director said.

Singh said the early warning system will guard against emerging psychoactive substances that mimic traditional drugs and are often disguised as herbal mixtures, candy and vaping products, and the effects are devastating.

Specialist at the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD), Pernell Clarke said psychoactive substances are increasingly creeping into communities, with consumers often unaware of the chemicals included in the drugs they are consuming,

“While traditional drugs continue to be trafficked and consumed – cocaine and marijuana – that is still happening, that is not going away, the drug market in our region is today defined by the emergence of new psychoactive substances and synthetic drugs, opioids and fentanyl have resulted in dire consequences for several of our OAS member states, particularly those in North America. These substances are often mixed with drugs such as cocaine and cannabis and other substances to increase their toxicity and their health risks, often without the user being aware of what they are actually consuming,” Clarke explained.

He pointed out that overdose incidents, toxic events and deaths reached epidemic levels in the US, and caused significant issues in Canada.

He said these occurrences should serve as a stern warning to Latin America and the Caribbean of the potential impact of these emerging threats.

Clarke said two years ago in Barbados, CICAD received word of the first clandestine drug laboratory in Trinidad and Tobago where pills were being produced.

“The Barbados Early Warning System early in 2023 issued two warnings on the discovery of methamphetamine as well as synthetic cannabinoid in their drug market. In fact, only last week, when we were preparing for this event, there was a recent seizure of products from a corner store, a grocery store, somewhere in Barbados where gummies and other products were being sold. The difference in these products is that they were found to contain something called semi synthetic cannabinoid hexahydrocannabinol (HHC),” he said.

It was explained that the chemical modifications are designed to retain the psychoactive properties in Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) but circumvent narcotic legislation.

Clarke said the early warning system is a critical tool that helps countries to identify, assess and respond to emerging drug threats particularly from new psychoactive substances and existing drugs. Through the system, alerts and warnings are issued to targeted populations regarding the potential dangers surrounding the drugs.

He noted that the launch of the early warning system in Guyana speaks to the Government’s commitment to tackling the scourge. Early warning systems have been activated in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Jamaica, St Lucia, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. 

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