By Mohammed Shosanya
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC),has partnered the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the Nigeria Customs Service on increased crusade against production, trafficking, and use of illicit drugs as well as related organized crime in Nigeria.
NAFDAC disclosed this in Lagos during the release and distribution of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB2022 )’s annual report and precursors report.
The agency’s NAFDAC Director General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, stated that, the policy thrust of the Agency is to ensure availability, access and rational use while preventing illicit use and abuse.
She said in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by Sayo Akintola Resident Media Consultant,that the agency in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health carried out two quantifications of narcotics and estimation of psychotropic substances and precursors in 2017 and 2019.
She said the results of these surveys provide the evidenced-based estimation of our national annual requirements of these substances and enable the country to develop measures to achieve that delicate balance between access and control.
‘’According to the 2018 National Drug Use Survey, the prevalence of any drug use was 14.4% or 14.3 million people between the age of 15 and 64 years’’, she said, noting that this is comparatively high compared with the 2016 global annual prevalence of 5.6% among adult population.
Adeyeye stated that the challenges arising from drug supply and consumption are not restricted to people who use drugs but have wider health, social and economic consequences on the family, community, and country.
The report, she stated further, revealed that Cannabis is the most commonly used drug, stressing that an estimated 10.8 per cent of the population or 10.6 million people, had used cannabis in the past year with the average age of initiation of cannabis use among the general population put at 19 years.
She said:‘’Cannabis use was 7 times higher among men (18.8 per cent among men vs. 2.6 per cent of women), while the gender gap in the non-medical use of pharmaceutical opioids (such as tramadol) was less marked’.
She however, said that Nigeria will not support the trend of legalization of cannabis for non-medical use as Nigeria lacks the financial capacity to fight cultivation, production and illegal use of the substance.
The non-medical use of Cannabis, according to Prof. Adeyeye, contravenes the United Nations Single Convention of 1961, which classifies cannabis as a highly addictive substance.
‘’The Nigeria Indian Hemp Act as well as the NDLEA Act prohibit the cultivation, production, distribution, sales and use of cannabis and its extracts or derivatives for medical or non-medical purposes’’.
She commended the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime UNODC for the assistance and support of the country in the fight against illicit drug production, trafficking, and use, and in curbing related organized crime.
Executive Chairman of NDLEA, Brigadier General, Buba Marwa, rtd. decried what he described as an upsurge in abuse of cannabis amongst the Nigerian youths with its attendant negative effects on the society.
He disclosed that the NDLEA with a view to addressing this problem conceptualized War Against Drug Abuse WADA which was launched by the Nigerian President, Muhamadu Buhari on June 26, 2021.
Marwa,who was represented by Mrs. Victoria Ekase, noted that NAFDAC has been ensuring that controlled drug essential for human survival are made available for use where necessary in line with the requirements of INCB, adding that NDLEA on its own part collaborates with NAFDAC in ensuring that the measures put in place to prevent diversion of such medicines and substances to illicit use are adhered to.
He added:‘’In some instances, NDLEA has arrested and prosecuted some traffickers of controlled and narcotics substances intended to be diverted to illicit uses’’, he said, noting with dismay that It’s quite worrisome that chemicals intended for research and industrial purposes are finding their way into illicit drug manufacture.
‘’This is the area that NAFDAC and NDLEA need to deepen collaboration to ensure that such unwholesome acts are completely eliminated’’, he said, adding that the launch of the precursor report will go a long way to complement national efforts in this regard.
He pledged that NAFDAC and NDLEA will continue to collaborate with major stakeholders at all levels to develop an efficient value-chain and support system that will ensure access to narcotics and controlled substances for medical and strategic purposes while preventing diversion for illicit use.
He said:‘’I sincerely hope that the global launch of the report will enhance the integration and cooperation amongst stakeholders in ensuring effective implementation for the overall benefit of the society.
The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Alli, Rdt. who was represented at the event by Ag. Assistant Comptroller General, ACG, A.N Dappa, also commended NAFDAC, observing that NAFDAC and NDLEA have been most wonderful.
He pledged the loyalty and support of the Nigerian Customs Service to rid the nation of illicit drugs.
