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Guyanese using cocaine and marijuana at a younger age – survey finds
Guyanese students are using marijuana and cocaine at a marginally lower age when compared to eight years ago.
This and other findings are contained in the Secondary School Drug Prevalence Survey Project 2013, the full report of which is being released today.
The Survey was sponsored by the Organisation of American States Inter American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD). It was conducted by the Crime and Social Observatory of the Ministry of Public Security.
Technical support was provided by the Inter American Drug Abuse Control Commission.
According to a press release from the Ministry of Public Security, the report presents key findings related to the consumption of licit and illicit drugs among secondary school students in Guyana based on information collected from a sample of Secondary School students from both public and private schools across Guyana.
Among the other findings were increases in the average age of first time use for tobacco, alcohol, crack and ecstasy when compared to the results of a previous survey done in 2007. 
The survey was discussed when OAS Representative to Guyana Mr. Jean Dormeus and members of CICAD Mr. Pernell Clarke and Ms. Tiffany Barry met with Vice President and Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan at the Ministry in Brickdam, As part of the CICAD Mission to Guyana.
Major General (Retired) Michael Atherly accompanied the Vice President at the meeting.
Among the other matters discussed during the meeting was a proposed National Household Drug Prevalence Survey.
According to the Ministry of Public Security, this Survey will also be sponsored by the OAS Inter American Drug Abuse Control Commission and will be conducted by the Crime and social Observatory of the Ministry of Public Security with technical support provided by the Inter American Drug Abuse Control Commission.
The survey will attempt to measure certain parameters in the population based on statistics generated from a sample of the population.
Objectives of the survey will include identifying risks and protective factors; to inform planning and implementation of prevention programmes; and to monitor and valuate progress.
Also on the agenda was the Guyana Drug Information Network, which operates from the Ministry of Public Security.
It collects and shares statistics and analyses on the prevention and control of drug use and trafficking.
It affords easier access to statistical details for all the agencies that comprise the Drug Information Network (DIN) and delivers useful information for the development, monitoring and evaluation of policies and strategies for combating drug trafficking and drug use prevention.
The Minister, OAS representative and the CICAD team subsequently met with the drug abuse Treatment Centre Providers in Guyana, including Phoenix Recovery, Salvation Army, Georgetown Public Hospital and Social Life Issues.
The CICAD team will also meet with the Guyana Bureau of Statistics and is schedule to leave Guyana and return to its headquarters in Washington DC tomorrow (Thursday).
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