DRUG ABUSE ON THE RISE IN WHP

WESTERN Highlands police are concerned over the rise in drug-related crimes
in the province, says provincial police commander John Bonot.

Mr Bonot, who took up his new appointment recently, said the problem was
mainly from the squatter settlement areas in Mount Hagen.

He said that latest survey results carried out by drug detectives attached
to the community-policing unit indicated squatter settlement dwellers as the
main users of these illegal drugs.

The report revealed that Tarangau One, Tarangau Two, Warakam ward 8, HMI and
the Hagen Park settlements were the areas that reported a large number of
drug users.

"The police report revealed that domestic violence, rape, alcohol
consumption and robbery were all associated with the consumption of
marijuana."

The April-May report compiled by the drug detectives showed that about 100
people have been arrested for taking marijuana while more than 40 people
have been charged with cultivating the illegal cannabis plant.

He added that the main cannabis cultivation areas identified by the report
were around the Mul Council, Kondopina block, Anglimp, Minj and Nondugl
areas.

Mr Bonot also said that home brewing has increased in the Banz, Minj,
Nondugl, and Jimi areas.

"Taking drugs and alcohol is not good and can cause severe brain damage.
About 75 percent of the drug abusers in the province are youths and adults
between the ages of 12 to 35 while 20 per cent were school students," Mr
Bonot said.

He said that police could not fight this social disorder alone and needed an
integrated approach from the community.

Mr Bonot said that police lacked the resources and funds and can no longer
fight the battle alone.

The deputy administrator for the Department of Western Highlands, Mr Micheal
Wandil, said he was shocked about the statistic revealed by Mr Bonot.

He said that the provincial government has created a new law and order
division that will place its efforts behind the anti-drug battle.

Mr Wandil said that due to the ignorance of the drug-related crimes they did
not fund the anti-drug program. But, he said that with the reports now
available, he would urge the provincial government to help the drug
committee in 2001 so that they would be able to assist in combating crime.

The drug statistics were revealed at the closure of a two weeks provincial
drug awareness training course conducted by the National Narcotics Bureau in
Mount Hagen last Friday.