Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), the Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has advised Nigerian women and youths to desist from taking psychoactive drugs and alcohol.
Marwa made the call during a sensitisation and advocacy programme for women and youths in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Thursday.
The NDLEA boss said that the involvement of women and youths in drug abuse had taken a frightening dimension in Nigeria.
He added that drug users now included young people, females and those living in rural areas.
Marwa was ably represented by the Director, Drug Demand Reduction, Assistant Commandant-General of Narcotics (ACGN), Dr Ngozi Madubuike.
According to him, Today, ingenuity has been introduced into the drug abuse scene with complex mixtures, experimentations and new discoveries.
"This has resulted to the abuse of substances which are not under any international control.
"The NDLEA, as part of its mandate, is determined to create awareness on the devastating effects and consequences of substance abuse.
"To also promote drug free lifestyles and motivate learning among the vulnerable groups - women and youths," he said.
Marwa said that the National Drug Use Survey 2018 estimated that 14.3 million people in Nigeria and between the ages of 15 years and 64 years had used psychoactive substances other than alcohol and tobacco.
He added that one in four drug users are females.
"This is a disturbing revelation as women are referred to as moulders of behaviour in any society, which goes with the saying, 'Train a Woman and Build a Nation'.
"Apparently, the implication is that when women are infested by drug abuse, the society is gone.
"Also, one in five individuals who had used drugs in the past year is suffering from drug-related disorders.
"I want to make a clarion call to all our women and youths to refrain from taking psychoactive drugs and alcohol, as it is very harmful to their health and has the potential to destroy their future.
"Therefore, all hands must be on deck and to do this, there is the need for greater involvement of the women and youths themselves in activities to prevent drug abuse and trafficking," Marwa said.
The NDLEA boss said that cannabis, cough syrups (containing codeine or dextromethorphan) and pharmaceutical opioids including tramadol, codeine, morphine are the psychoactive substances that are very common among youths.
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He said, "Cannabis is the most common drug of use. The above report is worrisome because when someone gets involved with drugs, it leads to suffering.
"This is not only for the drug user but also for family members, friends and members of the society.
"Every day around us we see the consequences and effects of drug abuse, whether it is alcohol, cannabis, opioids, cocaine or other similar substances.
"Drug abuse leads to criminal offences such as armed robbery, burglary, sex work, murder, kidnapping, banditry, etc.
"Evidence shows that young people use drugs for various reasons which include to relax, experimental, curiosity, genetic predisposition, health needs, peer pressure, to enhance performance and poor attachment to school," he said.
