[Link] Tonga’s drug crisis: Why a tiny Pacific island is struggling with a meth epidemic

Read: 28/11/2021 www.theguardian.com

After more than four decades spent living in New Zealand, Ned Cook knew it was time to return to his home country of Tonga. His country was in the grip of a methamphetamine epidemic that was ripping families apart and overrunning the country’s hospitals and jails.

asia asia drugs child development children cocaine counselling crimes against children death domestic violence drug addiction drug busts drug dealing drug deaths drug laws drug markets drug rehabilitation drug routes drug therapy drug use drug violence drugs drugs and children gender based crime gender based violence gender inequity interviews manslaughter methamphetamine murder pacific islands prisons protecting children psychology public health public health crisis respite substance abuse suicide tonga tonga courts