Tag: World Drug Day

The Federal government has been urged to put in place stronger policies, prevention-focused interventions, and national commitment to combat rising drug abuse in the country.

The National Chairman of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Pharm. Ezeh Ambrose Igwekamma, has called for intensified efforts from government, civil society, and communities to tackle drug abuse while Ogbodo Kelvin, a student of Government Secondary School, Garki, Abuja, stressed the urgent need for preventive measures, warning that the future of young Nigerians is threatened by the growing use of illicit drugs among students.

In a press statement on Thursday on the commemoration of the 2025 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, ACPN National Chairman, Igwekamma, noted that the urgency of shifting focus from treatment to prevention, aligned aptly with this year’s theme: ‘The Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention’

According to him, the preventive strategy aligns with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) strategic plan on substance abuse.

“Drug abuse fuels mental health disorders, crime, school dropout, family breakdown, and premature deaths. It cripples dreams and sabotages national development,” he said.

While emphasising that community pharmacists are often the first to witness the impact of drug misuse in Nigerian communities, he warned, “Every tablet sold without prescription, every codeine cough syrup diverted, and every hard drug traded illegally is not just a crime, it is a threat to our collective future”.

According to him, ACPN has been proactive through its national anti-drug abuse competition among secondary school students, which seeks to disabuse the minds of younger generations against the consequences of drug abuse.

Outlining other key policy actions for the stakeholders, he said, “The ACPN urges relevant agencies to enforce stricter controls on the distribution and sale of controlled substances.

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“We must close the leakage points that allow prescription drugs to enter the illicit market.”

He also called for greater empowerment of community pharmacists, urging that community pharmacists must be given a central role in identifying early signs of drug misuse and providing counselling, referrals, and rehabilitation support.

“We must also be involved in school-based and grassroots education programs,” he said.

However, in a heartfelt open letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, Ogbodo Kelvin, a student of Government Secondary School, Area 10, Garki, Abuja, noted that the menace of drug abuse in Nigeria is an issue that demands immediate attention.

He described how widespread drug use has become across all regions, stating that “no corner of our country is immune to its grip.”

He cited multiple root causes, including porous borders, weak law enforcement, and the glamorization of drugs in the media.

“Drugs like Alabukun, cough expectorants, tramadol and many others are constantly abused and yet nothing is being done by law enforcement agencies to curb the widespread nature of this hazardous issue,” he lamented.

Ogbodo warned about the long-term consequences of addiction, saying, “Drug abuse tends to mostly affect the brain, resulting in poor memory, and change in behaviour, suicidal thoughts, depression, and personality disorder. It also affects the economic state of a nation and scares away foreign and local investors.”

Ogbodo also offered his solutions with a series of policy recommendations, saying, “First of all, a public education campaign should be launched nationwide to educate people about the dangers of drug abuse.

“Rehabilitation projects should be introduced to our youths and teenagers struggling with drug abuse. More importantly, law enforcement agencies should enact laws to prevent the illegal production, distribution, and sale of drugs.”

He also emphasised the need to regulate prescription medication, saying, “Implementing regulations to control the sale and use of prescription drugs, including monitoring prescriptions and reducing access to opioids, would help contain this pandemic.

“Mr President, thank you in advance for your kind response as you take proactive measures to create a society where drug abuse is no longer a threat. The time to act is now!”

June 26, 2025, is set aside to observe the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking by the United Nations (UN) to raise awareness of the devastating consequences of drug abuse and illicit trafficking on individuals, families, communities, and nations.