rp21 situational analysis - Pacific Health Voices

Situational analysis of drug and alcohol issues and responses in the Pacific
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9.3 Illicit drug trends
The most recent United States Department
of State report has highlighted people trafficking,
corruption by government officials,
and domestic violence as matters for concern
in its annual review of human rights
conditions in Palau. 511 The concerns identified
drug and alcohol ‘abuse’ as contributing
to domestic violence involving women and
children. 512 Government and judicial leaders
noted that Palau has not had any reports or
cases of entry of methamphetamine into the
country since 2006 and protested against a
listing on the State Department’s international
narcotics watch list. 513 It was noted
that law enforcement officers were monitoring
points of entry and sharing information
with authorities in neighbouring countries.
In addition, police officers have received
training to combat drugs.
In the 2008 UNGASS report, Palau reported
that there were no known current injecting
drug users. Therefore, no data were provided
against the national program coverage indicators
relating to this section. 514 However,
people trafficking, prostitution and entertainment
industry workers are all indicators
for potential risk and initiation into injecting
and other drug use. 515
Cannabis
Marijuana is grown locally on Palau and is
therefore easily accessible. A 2002 seizure on
one island in Palau yielded 2900 plants from
50 farms. 516 A Youth Risk Behaviour Survey
(YRBS) is conducted every two years in Palau.
Youth marijuana use was reported to be in
decline in the period from 1999 to 2005. 517
The rate of use has declined from a high of
69 per cent of males in grades 9–12 who
had ever used marijuana to 52 per cent in
2005. 518 Among all grade 9–12 students surveyed,
the rate was 49 per cent, 519 reflecting
511 US Department of State (2009), 2008 Human Rights Report: Palau. Available at:
(accessed January 2010).
512 David Miho (2008), Human rights study reports human trafficking and corruption
in Palau. Pacific Magazine, 11 April 2008. Detailed at Human Trafficking Project:
.
513 Country report: Palau, July 2008. In Freedom in the World 2008: the annual survey of political
rights and civil liberties. Washington DC: Freedom House. Available at: (accessed March 2009.
514 Above, fn.493.
515 Palau Country Report to Pacific Islands Law Officers’ Network meeting, December 2008.
516 Drug Enforcement Administration (2004), Drug Intelligence Brief: the Pacific Islands region,
August 2004. DEA-04012. Available at: (accessed October 2008).
517 Council on Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP) (2006), Epidemiological Profile of Substance
Abuse Consumption and Consequence Patterns in Palau. Koror, Palau: COSAP, August 2006; copy
provided by key informant, 2009.
518 Ibid.
519 Above, fn.493.