Drug Use Among Nigerians now an Epidemic – FG
The Federal Government says it is concerned that in spite of efforts to curb drug abuse, the menace has reached an epidemic proportion that presently requires concerted efforts by all to have it curbed.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Mr. Olufunso Adebiyi, said this on Monday in Abuja, during a news conference to commemorate the ‘2023 International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking’.
World Drug Day is marked annually on June 26 and this year’s theme is every year ‘People First: Stop Stigma and Discrimination, Strengthen Prevention’.
Adebiyi, who was represented by the Director, Food and Drugs Services, Mrs. Olubunmi Aribeana, noted that drug trafficking and use are not only a threat to the security, governance and development of a nation but also to the health of its citizenry.
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He said, “In as much as supply reduction strategies led by law enforcement and the application of criminal sanctions represent significant efforts towards curbing access to illicit drugs and their non-medical use, there is a need to match such measures with innovative drug demand reduction strategies.
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“Consequently, implementation of an all-inclusive and integrated approach with equal attention paid to drug supply and demand reduction is crucial.
“This is in line with the spirit of the three UN International Conventions on Drug Control, established to protect human health by preventing drug abuse and dependence, and ensuring access to controlled medicines for medical and scientific purposes only.”
Drawing reference from the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, Adebiyi said that it was estimated that the prevalence of drug use in Nigeria was at 14.4 per cent.
This, he explained, translates to 14.3 million people between the ages of 15 and 64 who use drugs like cannabis, amphetamines, tramadol, codeine and cocaine.
The permanent secretary said this was more than twice the global prevalence of 5.6 per cent among the adult population.
