In a recent national survey about drug abuse, the drug problem in Nigeria has been confirmed to be massive. In clearer picture, it means the rate at which young persons and adults are using psychoactive drug substance (popularly referred to as ‘getting high’) is more than the global average rate at 15% Nigeria’s and 5.6% global. This was revealed by National Bureau of Statistics and Centre for Research and Information on Substance Abuse.
Previously, the prevalence was among adults and young adults, but most alarming and worrisome now is the rate at which under-age teens are embracing drugs freely and unchecked. Worst still, young people are generating their mixtures, using conventional substances with unusual elements to create their own formula for severe drug intake – they are often called ‘science students’ for these practices.
This means that drug intake has graduated from the use of sedatives like cocaine, heroin and cannabis that we used to know, to potent mixture of several drugs to attain fatal overdose.
For example, a cocktail of drugs like codeine, tramadol, rohypnol, cannabis with juice or soft drink is called ‘gutter water’. More crude is the smoking of lizard part, manure (dung), sniffing of petrol, glue, urine and sewage as inhalant. It is really that bad!
I am utterly worried because this is gradually eating deep into the flesh of our society like cancer. Actually, drug abuse is not new to the modern society, but very bothersome is the alarming rate at which youngsters are embracing hard substance, unchecked.
Do you know that four out of every 10 teenagers you meet on the street now abuse drugs? And if this goes unchecked, seven out of every 10 young persons on your street would become drug addicts by the year 2030 particularly in the major cities?
Crimes such as spontaneous shootings triggered by drug related poor mental health may become a regular occurrence in our society such as you see it happen in a place like America?
Recently, a news station picked a very disturbing drug abuse scene by an under-aged, with bottles of hard drugs littering the sight. The rate at which young boys and girls are being introduced to dangerous narcotics calls for serious concern.
Now, young boys and girls display proudly their love for dangerous drugs and even get endorsements from some of our local musicians thereby promoting this dangerous trend.
While we agree that the inflow of opioid is not limited to Nigeria alone, but our rate has surpassed ‘normal’ percentage. Last year, two major high profile raids led to seizure of over half a billion tablets of Tramadol. And apart from the imports, the local pharmaceutical companies are also riddled with high level of corruption related to boosting of illicit supply of codeine-based cough syrups to these drug users. Often time, a teenager will drink complete bottle of cough syrup at once to get ‘high’.
This case was worsened by the fact that our healthcare system is not adequately equipped to contain consequences of disorders emanating from drug abuse, leaving victims to degenerate into complete decadence and irreversible mental states. It is not surprising why the rate of depression and anxiety induced suicides is on the increase.
I can say authoritatively that this problem is not getting the attention it requires both from government and our communities. In the past, it is a taboo to smoke marijuana (popularly called weed) in the public. But now it is a trend and thing of pride among the youth.
Systemic consumption of drugs by adults makes them see nothing bad in youth drug abuse. The rate at which young criminals are paraded on the television is alarming but we can stop the menace before it gets to that stage.
Young people now have free access to dangerous weapons as much as they have to drugs, making the situation more dangerous. We are in the ‘blue tongue’, ‘purple tongue’ and ‘red tongue’ era with our youths consuming drugs freely at will. When cultism meets drugs, the result is that most rubbery gangs now consist of below 24 years old youth.
In addition to previous and predominant crisis in the country, can we cope with drug menace given our population and energy?
So what can we do?
My experience in the health sector has proven that there is need for more severe laws at the federal level to prevent drug abuse with tactical check on the inflow and free distribution of illicit drugs in our society.
Nigeria may need to borrow a leaf from countries with severe penalties against illicit drug peddling to check imminent catastrophe looming on the nation. This truth is bitter though, but can we cope with the consequences of this societal hazard as we are beginning to experience?
Religious institutions should focus more on messages that can help revamp the society. Unfortunately, we have few organisations championing cause for prevention of drug abuse in the country. We need more.
Prevention, they say, is better and cheaper than cure. For those already addicted, there are various forms of restorative approach in the society. But the most potent solution is to break the chain…that is where the biggest success is.
Drug addiction is a preventable. Research has shown that preventive programmes that involve the family, schools, communities, and the media are effective in reducing drug abuse. It is necessary, therefore, to help youth and the general public to understand the risks of drug abuse and for teachers, parents, and health care professionals to keep sending the message that drug addiction can be prevented if a person never abuses drugs.
Above all, we need to check the music too!
- Olulade is a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, representing Epe Constituency II
