The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in Adamawa State identifies causes of drug abuse.

Babangida Galleon

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in Adamawa state says drug abuse is a major factor responsible for high crime rates among youth in society.

This was made known by the head of the public affairs unit of the agency, Adamawa state command, Eneawan Mendie, during an interview with Fombina news in Yola.

As Eneawan Mendie said, the failure of parents to live up to their responsibilities, as well as troubled homes where parents often fight, also contribute to drug abuse among the youth in society, especially when the needed guide is not there.

She also described issues like peer pressure, the need to feel included, and poverty as some of the factors that always push young people into substance abuse.

“There are families that break up, there are quarrels and fights, the children may not know where to go for help, and this results in drug abuse.”

Mendie further explained that some people are using drugs as an escape route from their problems, thereby spending what they have, no matter how little, on drugs without putting into consideration the effect the drug would have on them or the money to be spent on rehabilitation when the situation gets out of hand.

She said the national drug law enforcement agency is doing everything possible within its mandate to eliminate the production, entry, and circulation of illicit drugs through enlightening, informing, and educating the general public on the dangers of drug abuse.

According to her, the agency has a unit that is saddled with the responsibility of rehabilitation of people who are willing to come out of drug addiction and be reintegrated back into society.

One is to reduce the supply of drugs coming into society, and the second is the drug demand aspect, whereby we try to reduce drug demand by educating and enlightening the general public on the dangers associated with drug abuse.

She added that there was a need for both parents and the government to come together in order to find lasting solutions to the menace.

In an interview with Radio Nigeria Fombina News, the deputy director and officer in charge of the Adamawa State Office Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, Adamawa State Office, pharmacist Emmanuel Gwo, said the council is responsible for drug regulation, which, according to him, has done its best to help stem the rising tide of drug abuse in society.

Gwo said most of the drugs that are abused are actually legal and genuine drugs that are supposed to be consumed only by medical doctors’ prescriptions or other medical experts.

He said drug abuse can be reduced only when those authorized are the ones handling drugs.

Some youths who spoke to Fombina News on condition of anonymity explained that they were pushed into doing drugs either by friends as a result of idleness or some as a result of broken homes.

They said that they are ready to turn a new leaf if the authorities concerned get them engaged in any vocational job and rehabilitation.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said recent statistics have revealed that 40 per cent of Nigerian youth between 18 and 35 years old are deeply involved in the abuse of drugs, hence the need for stakeholders, religious leaders, and parents to come together and proffer a lasting solution to the menace.