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ALL NIGERIANS HOME AND ABROAD NEED TO SEE THIS| SEE WHAT PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU IS PLANNING TO DO IN 2025 THAT WILL AFFECT ALL NIGERIANS WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT.THE high prevalence of drug abuse among young people in Nigeria is worrisome and calls for urgent action, an expert dealing with drug addiction and rehabilitation, Dokun Adedeji has said. ...Tap To Read The Full Story Here | ..Tap To Read The Full Story Here...
Adedeji, the chief executive officer of Compassionate Care Recovery Initiative, called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on drug abuse and trafficking in the country.
He said drugs and substance abuse had negatively impacted Nigerian society and heightened the risk of mental illnesses, addiction, and related crises.
Many Nigerians, especially the youth, share Adedeji’s thoughts.
An Abuja resident, Isyaku Walbe, told The ICIR in a chat on Friday, December 27, that there was no area in the city where one would not see youths abusing drugs. He added that the trend was prevalent in the country.
“There is no corner in this Abuja where you will not see people abusing one drug or the other. My friends told me it is like that across the nation. We are losing our youths to drugs and the government needs to rise to the occasion. Otherwise, it may be disastrous,” he warned.
He listed substances like crack, cocaine, codeine, tramadol, and cannabis as the most commonly used and abused in Nigeria.
According to him, users primarily seek to escape emotional pain caused by socio-economic and other societal issues by using the substances.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines drug and substance abuse as the harmful use of psychoactive substances like alcohol and illicit drugs.
A United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report in Nigeria quoted by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) reveals that 14.3 million Nigerians, or 14.4 per cent of people aged 15-64, suffer from drug abuse.
People aged 25-39 are most affected, with cannabis, opioids, and cough syrup being the most commonly abused substances.ALL NIGERIANS HOME AND ABROAD NEED TO SEE THIS| SEE WHAT PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU IS PLANNING TO DO IN 2025 THAT WILL AFFECT ALL NIGERIANS WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT.
Speaking on how the nation could tame the menace of drug abuse, particularly among its youth, the chief executive officer of Compassionate Care Recovery Initiative, Dokun Adedeji, suggested that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) strengthen its drug demand reduction (DDR) unit and provide it with more funding and personnel.
Adedeji also urged the Nigerian government to declare a state of emergency on substance abuse.
He called for the review of laws relating to drug trafficking in the country.
While calling for increased awareness of the implications of drug abuse, he said drug matters should be considered a public health issue and not a criminal offence to discourage stigma and discrimination.
He highlighted the need for collective action to address these substances’ availability, affordability, and local manufacturing.
He also blamed widespread drug trafficking and abuse on value erosion in society.
“The erosion of values has fueled greed, which is noticeable in the level of drug trafficking even in the face of interdiction and prosecution,” Adedeji stated.
He suggested that the NDLEA chairman, Mohammed Buba Marwa, spearhead stakeholder engagement by meeting with key stakeholders.ALL NIGERIANS HOME AND ABROAD NEED TO SEE THIS| SEE WHAT PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU IS PLANNING TO DO IN 2025 THAT WILL AFFECT ALL NIGERIANS WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT.
He also called for capacity building of the NDLEA staff and anti-graft agencies; the establishment of drug users’ rehabilitation centres in the country’s geopolitical zones, and registration of private rehabilitation centres...Tap To Read The Full Story Here.
