Government Senator Dr Saphire Longmore says there is a greater need to maintain and increase the public education campaign against substance and drug abuse.

November is celebrated as Drug Awareness month.

Speaking on Thursday in the Upper House Senator Longmore pointed to the increase in drug and substance abuse within the population, especially among adolescents and young adults.

She said outside of the common substances and drugs, she was shocked to know that there has also been an increase in the use of heroin.

As such, she said the government and stakeholders must focus on maintaining and increasing the public education campaigns for drug awareness.

She said after November, these steps and initiatives must continue.

She said studies indicate that 80 percent of children claim to be involved in alcohol use or exposed to alcohol before the age of 14.

Meanwhile, she noted that marijuana use is at 13 percent among the nation’s youth, which she believes has gone up since it was decriminalized in 2015.