INTERNATIONAL Society of Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Professionals (ISSUP), Nigeria chapter, has hailed House of Representatives for stepping down a bill to legalise cannabis in Nigeria.
It described it as a welcome development and in the best interest of public health.
ISSUP called on the Senate to do same.
A statement signed by President of the association, Dr. Martin Agwogie, reinstated the earlier position of the association on cannabis legalisation, noting Nigeria is experiencing crisis in substance use and abuse and as such this is not the time to contemplate legalisation of cannabis.
Agwogie said: “Nigeria is in drug crisis that legalisation of cannabis should not be contemplated now.”
On medicinal and economic values of cannabis plant, the ISSUP president noted: “There are medicinal and economic values that can be extracted from the cannabis plant, but these are not without alternatives. Moreover, the economic benefits should not override the health and social consequences.”