SIR: The rate of drugs and illicit substances abuse among Nigerian youths is alarming. It is heading towards a national emergency, which should be considered and treated appropriately with the kind of attention it deserves in today’s society.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), cannabis prevalence had increased by as much as four times in parts of the world in the last 24 years, even as the percentage of adolescents who perceive the drug as harmful fell by as much as 40 per cent. This is in spite of the evidence that cannabis use is associated with a variety of health issues and other harms, especially among regular long-term users.
A worrisome development which should not be treated with levity is the fact that there are 11 million cannabis users in Nigeria, a third of who seemed to be regular users with need for drug counselling.
Similarly, the world drug report further noted that “Between 2010 and 2019, the number of people using drugs increased by 22 per cent, owing to global population growth. Based on demographic changes alone, current projections suggest an 11 per cent rise in the number of people who use drugs globally by 2030 – and a marked increase of 40 per cent in Africa, due to its rapidly growing and young population.
Nigeria is expected to grapple with approximately 20 million drug users by 2030, further deepening the public health and public security challenge”.
Chairman of the National Drug and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Buba Marwa, while reeling out some statistics said Nigeria was not only the highest user of cannabis worldwide, but that emerging revelations from kidnapped victims point to illicit substances as one of the enablers of insecurity currently plaguing the country.
The consequences of drug abuse can never be overemphasized as it has birthed a lot of problems not only in families but in the nation as well as the international community. Medical issues associated with drug abuse include – mental disorders, lethargy, irritability, heart disorders, among others just as addiction have social consequences as internet fraud, cultism, violence, armed robbery, kidnapping, rape, sexual abuse, reduced productivity.
The government alone cannot eradicate this menace. It is a joint task involving the individual, communities, families, schools, civil society, religious organizations, the media, business entities and traditional leaders.
Most of these drug abusers are jobless individuals roaming about the streets, thus government should step up efforts to provide them with jobs, while others could be empowered with necessary skills and tools to start their own business so as to cater for themselves and their family.
Stemming the tide of drug abuse is akin to tackling the security challenges currently bedeviling the country. The time to take action is long overdue.
- Kabir Fagge Ali,
Abuja.