By Motunrade Adegoke
An associate professor of Geology and Head, Department of Geology and Mineral Science, Kwara State University(KWASU), Malete, Kwara State, Dr Jimoh Ajadi, has called on the government to limit availability of abused drugs and empower law enforcement agencies to undertake neighbourhood surveillance for easy identification of drug peddlers and abusers.
Ajadi explained that a better way to address drug abuse in the country was to ensure that drugs that were being abused were not easily accessed by everyone.
He noted that availability of the drugs, many of which were used for treatment of minor ailments, made access so easy for the young men and women.
Ajadi also advised the government to empower security agencies and regulatory organisations to undertake neighbourhood surveillance to identify, arrest and prosecute drug peddlers and abusers to serve as deterrence to others.
He said: “Drug abuse has become virtually the roots of all evils. Most people that commit crime usually indulge in the abuse of one drug or the other to prepare themselves for the crime.”
The don said drug abuse was synonymous to crime, pointing out that it was impossible to talk about the consequence of drug abuse without mentioning crime.
He said there were unorthodox means of abusing drugs as drugs made for a particular ailment were used excessively by some youths to get the same feeling that they get from consuming some particular hard drugs.
He noted that drug abuse was the most significant factor contributing to juvenile delinquency.