Guyana launches national Early Warning System to combat new, emerging drug threats

In what is being described as a proactive move, Guyana has launched a National Early Warning System (EWS) on drugs to strengthen the country’s ability to detect, monitor, and respond to potential public health threats in a timely manner.
The National EWS on Drugs is being rolled out by the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) and the Guyana Drug Information Network (GUYDIN) in keeping with the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) guidelines of the Organization of American States (OAS).

Conceptualised under Guyana’s National Drug Strategy Masterplan 2022-2026, the EWS initiative is designed to detect, assess, and respond to new and emerging drug threats, particularly New Psychoactive Substances (NPS).
It seeks to integrate scientific data into policy and operational decisions. For instance, when a new drug or new dangerous substance emerges, the EWS will ensure that the data is captured, verified and translated into actionable intelligence for the relevant stakeholders to use.
According to CANU’s Director James Singh, this EWS initiative is one that will save lives, especially among youths, who are more at risk with the devastating effects that NPS pose.

“What we have discovered is that there are new psychoactive substances that mimic traditional drugs, but they often evade detection, legal classification, and treatment protocols. That is why we have the Forensic Lab with us; that’s why we have participants from the Ministry of Health. And these substances are marked very deceptively, whether they’re disguised as herbal mixtures, candies [and/or] vaping products. Again, we see that mainly in the youths today,” he noted.
During a launching ceremony that coincides with a stakeholder workshop at the Health Ministry on Thursday, the CANU Head explained that the EWS mechanism would serve as a line of defence against this evolving threat.
“It gives Guyana the capacity to anticipate rather than to chase drug threats, ensuring that enforcement, health response, and public education are all informed by timely and credible data. So, we’re not waiting until it’s at our doorstep. We’re now waiting until there’s a problem… We’re being proactive,” Singh said.

Impact of new psychoactive substances, synthetic drugs
Similar sentiments were expressed by CICAD Specialist Pernell Clarke, who spoke about the impact psychoactive substances are having on the countries in the region, where there is an emergence of new psychoactive substances and synthetic drugs.
Already, opioids such as fentanyl have resulted in dire consequences for several OAS member states, particularly in North America, as they are mixed with traditional drugs such as cocaine and cannabis to increase their toxicity and health risks. In fact, overdose incidences, toxic events and deaths have already reached epidemic levels in the United States and have caused significant problems in Canada.
According to Clarke, this reality serves as a stark warning to the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries about the potential impact that these emerging trends could bring. He pointed out that just two years ago, Trinidad and Tobago discovered its first “meth lab”.
Moreover, in Jamaica that same year, some 60 children had to receive emergency medical care after consuming THC-laced candies sold by a vendor outside a primary school.
Also in 2023, the Barbados EWS in that same year had issued two warnings on the discovery of methamphetamine and synthetic cannabinoids in the local drug market. In fact, only last week, there was a recent seizure of products like gummies from a corner store in Barbados.
These products are laced with Hexahydro cannabinol (HHC), a semi-synthetic cannabinoid similar to Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This is a process where the active ingredient found in things like hemp is chemically modified.
“The chemical modifications are designed to retain the psychoactive properties of THC but circumvent narcotic legislation. So, in effect, these substances that are being sold in the corner shop in…Barbados are technically legal. Like no one can be prosecuted based on the current state of Barbados’ law for trafficking these substances. So, the traffickers are smart. They have chemists just like the [Government] labs. And they know what they can do to circumvent the law. These are the people that we’re up against,” the CICAD specialist pointed out.
Clarke noted that, “These examples are remarkably close to home for Guyana, and they are proof that no country is immune to the dangers posed by emerging drugs.”

Ministries pledge full support
Meanwhile, to build out an effective early warning system in Guyana, it is recognised that institutional collaboration is critical and must be strengthened. Consequently, both the Ministries of Home Affairs and Health have pledged strong support for this initiative.
Permanent Secretary at the Home Affairs Ministry Andre Ally said, “No single agency can win the fight against illicit drugs alone. The success of this EWS depends on the collaboration of every partner represented here today. Our forensic scientists, who validate findings; our health officials, who provide early clinical insights; our law enforcement officers, who act on alerts; our educators and treatment providers, who build community resilience; and our regional partners, who share intelligence and their expertise.”
Chief Medical Officer at the Health Ministry Dr Narine Singh, on the other hand, added, “The fast-changing and very dynamic drug market requires close monitoring, early detection and timely response to counter such emerging drug threats. Without an effective mechanism for early detection and information sharing, these threats can spread silently, claiming lives and undermining our collective progress. The Early Warning System will allow us to collect and analyse data, issue timely alerts and coordinate responses among health, law enforcement, customs and laboratory services. By doing so, we can act proactively rather than reactively. And that difference can save lives.”
With the establishment of this Early Warning System, Guyana now joins six other Caribbean nations – Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Jamaica, St Lucia, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago – that have implemented EWS initiatives.