[Photo: File]
All marijuana cases recorded in Namuana Village on Kadavu are reported to the police.
Namuana Village Chief Aminiasi Cula Vuase says they do not believe in resolving the issue traditionally with an apology, as they have seen offenders repeat the same behavior when handled traditionally.
He says it is effective when drug cases are reported to the Police to investigate, as villagers also do not want to take the law into their own hands.
“This is an issue for all villages here on Kadavu Island. We know its impacts, so we always get the Police to deal with it.”
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Vuase says they have witnessed the negative impacts of drugs -especially marijuana – on the village youth, prompting them to introduce initiatives to keep young people engaged and discourage them from drugs.
He adds that the impacts of marijuana on the island are regularly raised at village meetings, as well as at district and provincial levels.
Vuase says Namuana Village also worked closely with Police for five months last year to help eradicate marijuana farms in their village and across Kadavu Island.
He stresses that addressing drug-related issues requires cooperation between village leaders, Police, and the wider community to protect young people and prevent the spread of drugs.