Lagos Govt Cautions Youths Against Peer Pressure Related To Drug Use

Lagos State Government is once more advising young adults, partic­ularly teenagers, and youths, against negative peer pressure which could eventually lead them to engage in drug and substance abuse and illicit trafficking activities.

The Permanent Secretary, Minis­try of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye who gave this warning recently at a School Awareness and Sensitiza­tion programme to commemorate the 2023 International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Lagos, noted that peer pressure has been linked to drug and substance abuse, misuse, addiction, and illicit trafficking, especially amongst teen­agers and youths.

Speaking through the Director, of Pharmaceutical Services, Mrs. Oyebi­si Omolanbe, at the programme held at the Agidingbi Senior Secondary School in Ikeja, Ogboye explained that people particularly teenagers and youths may be obligated to use and abuse drugs and substances if their peers are doing it.

“Peers play a significant role in our lives, especially in late childhood and adolescence, however negative peer pressure with regards to misuse and abuse of drugs and substances as well as trafficking of the same comes with a lot of burdens and negative conse­quences.”

Speaking further at the event which was organized by Lagos State Interministerial Drug Abuse Control Committee, Ogboye posited that young people must be equipped with skills and the ability to take their minds off drugs and stand up to say NO to peers who may want to lure them into drug and substance abuse.

“We are here to sensitize, educate and empower young minds with in­formation that will help them make the right choices. Knowledge, they say, is power; so, having the right in­formation about the abuse of drugs and substances, and how to stay clear of it cannot be overemphasized.

“Drug and substance abuse can affect every aspect of a child’s life and also have a negative effect in society. So the earlier we nip it in the bud, the better for our youths and the society.”

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Ogboye noted that the 2023 Unit­ed Nations International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking commemorative theme: “People First: Stop Stigma And Discrimination, Strengthening Prevention”, is well thought out.

He added that it is important that the mental health of citizens is prior­itized, stressing that the fight against the abuse of drugs is a collective re­sponsibility of everyone, “So this year’s theme is people-cen­tered. Addicts and people who abuse drugs and substances should not be treated as criminals but treated as pa­tients. We should see them as being ill. The way you treat any other patient is the way they should be treated. But for the suppliers, the distributors, they should be treated as criminals.”

The Permanent Secretary stated that the awareness program organ­ised for the school children has created an opportunity to share facts on the dangers of drug abuse and also equip them with basic skills to say no to drug abuse.

He however tasked all stakehold­ers to continue to evolve strategies targeting youths and young adults and implement well-thought-out in­terventions to achieve the required developmental goals in a drug abuse-free society.

Dr. Oluseyi Odewale, who was the facilitator at the event explained that the abuse of substances can mess up the brain of a young person and lead to dependency as the brain of a young person is not fully developed and can affect the place of judgment which will have a negative impact on how the child relates in the society.

“The brains of young people are still developing. And any attempt to introduce any substance to that de­veloping brain, will actually mess it up and the last place to develop is the place of judgment, which is the place of executive functions such as Memo­ry, learning, decision-making, ability to weigh down time,” she said.

She however urged the students to carefully select their friends so as to avoid negative peer pressure that could lead to drug abuse and addiction.

Joseph Olu­waseun, a representative of Pam Phar­maceutical Limited, who collaborated with the state government in the celebration of the 2023 World Drug Abuse Day, lauded the state government for running an all-inclusive system of gov­ernance with the private sector.