Methamphetamine use in Fiji presents a unique challenge, especially as many users prefer needle injection. Inshik Sim, the regional coordinator for organized crime analysis and threat monitoring at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), noted that this trend is not common in countries facing methamphetamine issues.
Sim linked the rise in injection drug use to the country’s increasing HIV rates, highlighting that 85 out of 552 HIV cases reported in the first half of 2024 were associated with needle use. He mentioned discussions with the Fiji Forensic Chemistry Unit, which confirmed they find discarded syringes on the streets that test positive for methamphetamine.
The details of this pressing issue are outlined in the UNODC report, “Transnational Organised Crime in the Pacific: Expansion, Challenges, and Impact,” which was launched in Suva. Sim emphasized the seriousness of the meth epidemic in Fiji, noting that the drug’s availability has surged and calling attention to the rare occurrence of injecting methods among users in the region.
He observed that most nations experiencing similar meth problems do not face significant syringe use, citing Japan and South Korea as exceptions. Sim urged Pacific leaders to revise outdated legislation to keep pace with rapidly evolving drug markets, stating that new substances are emerging quickly, leaving the Pacific region lagging behind.