Drug trafficking is expanding rapidly across the Pacific. Countries that were once primarily transit points have experienced a surge in domestic consumption, with some also emerging as production sites. Drug legislation, however, is struggling to keep pace with these shifting regional dynamics.
Because many of the region’s drug laws were drafted when cannabis was the main policy concern, many states have been poorly equipped to respond to the spread of cocaine and synthetic substances. As a result, communities, law enforcement agencies and health services are facing challenges that existing legal frameworks were not designed to address.
Against this backdrop, recent political posturing, including periodic proposals by state officials in Fiji, Tonga and Papua New Guinea to reintroduce the death penalty, highlights the pressure governments are under to respond quickly and robustly to communities’ fear and frustration – and to be seen to do so.
Drug law reform across the Pacific
Fiji currently faces one of the most severe drug problems in the Pacific, particularly in relation to its HIV epidemic, which disproportionately affects people who inject drugs. However, debates on drug laws are gaining momentum across the region as states reassess laws written for a very different trafficking landscape.
Solomon Islands, for instance, was caught off guard by its first seizure of methamphetamine in 2023, as state legislation did not classify the substance, or other synthetics such as ketamine and ecstasy, as ‘dangerous drugs’. This legal loophole was only addressed in late 2025, and the country is now updating its legal provisions.
Policymakers are consulting the public ahead of amending the Dangerous Drugs Act to introduce harsher penalties for offences, including life imprisonment. However, critics have argued that a narrow focus on methamphetamines fails to anticipate the possible introduction of other drugs, which would leave enforcement authorities unprepared once again.
Fiji’s drug policy consultation
Recent developments in Fiji illustrate the policy challenges involved in updating drug legislation. The Melanesian country has taken a notable step through its National Counter Narcotics Strategy 2023–2028, which integrates supply, demand and harm-reduction pillars, alongside the proposed Counter Narcotics Bill. The latter would also facilitate the restructuring of the country’s Counter Narcotics Bureau, which encountered significant operational and integrity issues following its initial launch in 2024.
To inform the process, the government launched an extensive consultation process. Public meetings, community consultations and talanoa discussions – a process centred on open and respectful dialogue – have brought together government representatives and civil society organizations, including the GI-TOC. Churches and traditional authorities, such as the Great Council of Chiefs, also played a prominent role in these discussions, reflecting the social significance of the issue.
Beyond legislative reform, the consultations assessed whether existing frameworks are adequate to respond to the recent changes in the organized crime landscape. Seizures alone cannot disrupt drug markets if the systems that enable trafficking, such as financial flows and border vulnerabilities, remain intact, and if the credibility of law enforcement is not guaranteed.
The process also examined broader responses relating to prevention, treatment and community resilience. In doing so, it acknowledged the intersection of drug policy with public health, social cohesion and economic pressures.
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Playing legislative catch-up: Drug law reform in the Pacific
