SAMOA – Last year, the police in Samoa – through Commissioner Fuiavailili Egon Keil and his Tactical Operations Squad – declared a war on drugs.

Today, in as far as marijuana goes, it’s a war the authorities appear to be winning. Which is great news for Samoa, the Samoa Observer reports.

Following a series of raids at some of the hot spots where marijuana is grown and supplied from, a source told the Samoa Observer regular users are struggling to find the drug.

During an interview with a frequent consumer of the drug on the condition of anonymity, the user claimed that since Commissioner Keil came into power, things have changed dramatically.

“It’s so hard to find some weed now,” the man said.“We have had a few dry seasons in the past but my friends and I were always able to find some no matter what.

“Every one of my dealers has the same line when I go and ask for some, ‘sorry, the person that grows it has been caught’.”

According to the young man, some of his regular dealers raised their prices before completely running out of the drug.

“About a month before completely running out, all of my dealers stopped selling foiled marijuana and began selling loose joints,” he said.

“That was easy to deal with but then a few of them raised the price from $5 a joint up to $10 and I could see that they were starting to become desperate.”

Asked if he has given up on trying to source the drug the young man said he has and so have some of his dealers.

“There really is no point anymore,” he said. “I have close relations to a lot of my dealers, some of them are family, and they have given up on trying to get some to sell.

“They are scared to grow their own because of the frequent raids and they do not want to get caught and thrown into jail.

“So all of us stoners have no other choice but to quit or move overseas.”

The young man jokingly said that he will turn to alcohol and cigarettes now but has saved a lot of money since the drug went dry.

“I drink every weekend and I also smoke a lot to try and compensate no longer getting high – but even the cigarette prices have increased so getting a buzz now is just too expensive.

“I guess it’s time to just read my Bible and stay home, I wish this dry season happened during my tertiary years – I would have had a degree by now. But that is life I guess; I will have to live with it.”

During a brief interview with another consumer, he said he has also given up.

“It’s time to get a life now,” he said jokingly.

“Long story short, I won’t be getting high anymore because there’s pretty much nothing left. I won’t say anymore because I am scared to talk to the media.” - Samoa Observer