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Noticeable ‘uptick of drug use’ in VI youths - Skelton-Cline

-Calls on VI community to unite & address issue
‘Honestly Speaking’ radio moderator, Claude O. Skelton-Cline says in the Virgin Islands (VI) there is an uptick of drug use in local youths that has now become highly noticeable in the community. Photo: VINO/File
Claud O. Skelton-Cline said local drug use amongst youths would usually start with marijuana before moving on to other illicit drugs. Photo: Internet Source
Claud O. Skelton-Cline said local drug use amongst youths would usually start with marijuana before moving on to other illicit drugs. Photo: Internet Source
BAUGHERS BAY, Tortola, VI – ‘Honestly Speaking’ radio moderator, Mr Claude O. Skelton-Cline says in the Virgin Islands (VI) there is an uptick of drug use in local youths that has now become highly noticeable in the community.

Making the claims on the Thursday, April 1, 2021, edition of his ZBVI 780am radio show, Mr Cline claimed several others in the VI are also noticing the trend.

VI has tools to handle issue – Skelton-Cline

“We are not known to be drug users but… I am seeing and others are noticing an uptick amongst our young people with drug use.”

Mr Skelton-Cline continued, “It starts with marijuana, starts with the little weed and the ganja but then it graduates and I am very concerned with the direction of this trend.” 

The man of the cloth related that while the VI is experiencing difficult days, the territory has the tools to navigate its way towards a better and healthier society.  

“It’s going to require more than any one government, more than any one term… it's going to require more than the church,” he said.

Community effort to address subject

Calling for the community to come together and address the issue, he said “all of us are going to have to make it a concerted and targeted and intentional effort, at expending energies to hold back the tide of what I'm seeing happening to us.”

While Mr Skelton-Cline promised to delve into the topic during future episodes of his radio talk show, he did not provide any solid research or statistics to back the claims.

29 Responses to “Noticeable ‘uptick of drug use’ in VI youths - Skelton-Cline ”

  • Observer (03/04/2021, 14:10) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    "While Mr Skelton-Cline promised to delve into the topic during future episodes of his radio talk show, he did not provide any solid research or statistics to back the claims."
    With all of the drug-related arrests and convictions, filling up of prison stories etc. published in our media, what solid research or statistics we need to support a problem that is being identified and described as growing ("upticking") ?
  • chosen (03/04/2021, 14:40) Like (20) Dislike (3) Reply
    Mr what Will you think of next you are trying everything you are getting payed with honest and hard working tax payers money no one wants to hear you.
    • Norris Turnbull (03/04/2021, 15:47) Like (7) Dislike (16) Reply
      @Chosen.......Speak for yourself. A lot of you like to deny the truth but it is real.
  • wow (03/04/2021, 14:42) Like (35) Dislike (0) Reply
    Why don't you go out in the Communities and speak to the Youths in person? Take initiative and pratice what you preaching about.
    • Norris Turnbull (03/04/2021, 15:49) Like (5) Dislike (27) Reply
      @SHM .. you can go out in the community. He's on air talking about it. What the hell are you doing.
      • wow (04/04/2021, 06:17) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
        And what are you doing? Just blogging in support of the Commentator instead of encouraging him to address the Issues in a Public in Pwrson Forum within the Communities. I'm nit doing anything I'm not the One claiming the Problems here. So you need to read understand and come again!
      • @Norris Turnbull (04/04/2021, 10:01) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
        He is getting paid to be on air-so that does not count. Same for the pulpit....
  • HEY PASTOR (03/04/2021, 15:09) Like (21) Dislike (7) Reply
    YOU BETTER BE THANKFUL IT IS JUST MARIJUANA THEY YOUNG PEOPLE IS SMOKING. BETTER BE GLAD THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT IS SMOKING THE MARIJUANA IS NOT ON PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, METH OR THE OTHER POWERFUL STREET DRUGS.
    • Agree (03/04/2021, 20:05) Like (7) Dislike (3) Reply
      Just find out rapper DMX IS FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE AFTER HE OD ON DRUGS AND SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK ON FRIDAY NIGHT. DUDE WAS ON THAT HEAVY STREET DRUG. BOBBY BROWN ALSO DIED RECENTLY FROM DRUG OD. I AGREE BE GLAD THE YOUNG PEOPLE HERE IS NOT USING THE POWERFUL STREET DRUGS OR IT HAS NOT REACH YOUR SHORES.
  • 911 (03/04/2021, 15:10) Like (13) Dislike (3) Reply
    free the weed boss
  • @mr UPTICK (03/04/2021, 15:27) Like (8) Dislike (7) Reply
    YOU NEED TO STOP FOOLING YOURSELF / MAYBE YOU USED TO BE A PLAYER BUT NOW THAT YOU ARE AWAKE PRAISE THE LORD • THOSE YOUTHS ARE SMOKING THE IMPORTED WEED WITH ALL KIND OF FANCY NAMES BUT THAT WEED HAVE ALREADY BEEN GIVEN A BATH IN ( COCAINE / HEROIN OR OPIUM SO THOSE YOUTHS ARE ALREADY TURNED INTO CRACKHEADS UNKNOWINGLY TO THEM WHY YOU THINK THOSE GUYS ON THESE SCOOTERS DOIND ALL THESE STUNTS
    WITHOUT FEAR OF ANYTHING NOT EVEN DYING AND IT AIN'T JUST HAPPENING AND ITS NO SECRET
  • Rasta Lives (03/04/2021, 15:42) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply
    more attention is usually paid to foreign affairs leadership ensures they are fully compliant with global affairs. some of us are only valuable just before a general election. the people looking votes all over you but after elections the commucation suddenly stops. leadership should find time and engage the youths with meaningful conversations. not all young ones interesting in university studies some young people have great technical skills that needs to be nurtured just as insensitive is offered to forgin investors why cant our people get some of those privileges.
  • bvfbfdgdtgr (03/04/2021, 17:30) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
  • musa (03/04/2021, 18:22) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    I have a plan say we have 12 drugs users in our prison serving time remember he or she is not the only one suffer, all the loves ones feeling the pain when that person finish the time and come out of prison how can he or she fits in back society my plan rader time in prison lets provide a program and when they go through that process they will have a better chance of been a change individual plus getting a job and at the end of the day less tax payers money will spend.
  • musa (03/04/2021, 18:27) Like (7) Dislike (2) Reply
    Go back to history i come bvi as a young man 20yrs and i reach it me now heading to 60 and you say now you see it ,blindfolded pastor
  • Stupes (04/04/2021, 02:32) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    .....
  • Hmm (04/04/2021, 03:52) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Keep it real “drugs” a catch all hot word that doesn’t include alcohol sugar or tobacco.

    A catch all word which has been used to divide many communities including our own persecution of peaceful citizens with far flung claims that never materialized except for the damage of incarceration.

    Caribbean people from our history coming out of Africa love bush for healing. Bush tea anything that is natural we are taught to use for health benefits.

    Traditionally we do not have a drinking culture nor snort, or inject dangerous substances that are popular and available to folks abroad.

    If we’re going to talk about “drugs” don’t play war on drugs games and be specific.

    The drugs people in the states are into nowadays originally come from the pharmacy..... the drugs people are hooked on and overdosing on stems from the pharmaceutical industry.

    what are we really talking about? Never mind some of the prescription medication aka drugs people are taking to find health has more side effects than you can shake a stick at.

    And if people are so worried about the young adults taking adulterated herbs insist SOMEONE to get a move on the cannabis act 2020 that there may be clean locally grown therapeutic medicine available that is also further tested for quality
  • Oh boy. (04/04/2021, 04:55) Like (8) Dislike (6) Reply
    I do not believe that you have ever address a more important Topic than this one. I must go further and say that Claude or no one else needs to go any further to confirm that what he is saying is the dam truth. More than 50% of teenagers and young people from the age of 15yrs and up have used or is using using Cannabis and that includes girls/ female. As a matter of fact we must be careful that there are not more females using drugs and alcohol than male.
    It is also a fact that cannabis is a gate way drugs.

    PEOPLE SLOWLY BUT SURELY THERE IS AN INCREASE OF THE USE OF CRACK COCAINE, PURE COCAINE AND OTHER HARD ADDICTIVE DRUGS BY TEENAGERS AND YOUNG PEOPLE.

    Stop comparing and concentrate about your own.

    They are caught with drug, drug residue and paraphernalia in their possession and their parents and relatives are still in denial.

    People stop putting your heads in the sand like Ostrich.

    It is the same way you all were denying the fact about the drug activities in the BVIs and BVISLANDERS involvement and keep saying is island people.

    How many BVislanders that has been arrested overseas for large quantities of drugs, plus how many that has been deported from the U.S.A in relation to Drugs? Because of your population, it is a lot.
    The best that some of you can Blog and say is free the weed.

    FOR GOD SAKE STOP PUTTING YOUR HEADS IN THE SAND AS OSTRICH.
  • Lb (04/04/2021, 10:14) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    You know what that drug is??? AstraZeneca and Moderna and Pfizer. Ibuprofen. Those are the drugs.

    Marijuana is an herb not a drug!
  • ?? (04/04/2021, 16:16) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    It is time for someone to look into why since after Mr Edward Frett retired (now deceased) that the several rehab and trade programmes at the prison are not in operation? Please . . .Look into it Mr Claude Skelton-Cline!!! and talk to your government! Enough of the talk and action so these young men can be rehabilitated and re-integrated into society and become responsible husbands to their wives, fathers to their children, boyfriends to their girlfriends, and responsible person on the whole. There seems to be a conspiracy for these persons to be released and be vulnerable to those who want them to commit the same crimes again and keep certain people in their jobs.
  • Ain’t true (04/04/2021, 23:02) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    I can tell you, ain’t nobody using no cocaine here in BVI. No sir, none. Just look at how it piles up around here. By the ton.
  • rewrsdffds (05/04/2021, 07:35) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    Ain't True, please please for God Sake remove your head from underneath the Sand and stop being an OSTRICH. Are you that blind for you to make that comment or that proud and refuses to call a Spade a Spade. Are you serious when you say that body uses cocaine in the BVIs. Oh my.
    • To Ok (05/04/2021, 17:05) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Don't be a jack%$$. I think the person was being sarcastic about no cocaine use
  • rewrsdffds (06/04/2021, 10:06) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    The person wasn't sarcastic at all. That person is serious as can be , because too many of us in the BVIs are living in denial despite reality hitting us in our faces every Day.


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