Mayor of Kingston Desmond McKenzie repudiated recent references in the international media to Jamaica as a drug haven.

McKenzie said, according to the National Council on Drug Abuse, there were just under 200,000 Jamaicans addicted to drugs. Included in that figure, he said, are a number of persons who are deemed alcoholics, the largest category of drug users in Jamaica.

He said the country was suffering from its ports being used as narcotic trans-shipment points. He blamed wealthy drug lords for targeting the poor and marginalised who are oftentimes employed as armed enforcers.