Mr President, please tackle drug abuse among youths

Mr. President, it’s so disturbingly dangerous that whatever gains made in government or anywhere else in the country would eventually amount to nought if the current downward tumble in drugs abuse is not halted and reversed.

Years back, the sale of kidney in countries like Malaysia was the get-rich-quick option adopted by Nigerian youth, but the ongoing trend trumps whatever risks were involved in kidney merchandising.

Subject to psychiatric evaluation, most Nigerian youth would fail woefully as many cannot claim to be in complete control of their faculties due to the degradation of their senses by all sorts of things, some of which are not qualified to even be termed ‘drugs’.

There are all sorts which you must have read or heard about as being responsible for deaths of young people. A recent incident was that of Francis Chibuike, a 400level student of Optometry at Abia State University who jumped from a three-storey building.

His drug of choice was ‘Colorado’. Not able to withstand the effects, he plunged to death. Apparently, he was too high to reason. Mr President, there is also the ongoing case of 21-year-old Chidinma Ojukwu who admitted to stabbing Super-TV CEO, Michael Usifo Ataga, to death after both of them had become allegedly high on Rohypnol (roofies) or date-rape drug.

There are many of such cases that were unreported. Mr. President, as much as some may say there are more important issues, I can confidently tell you that there is not a more important issue in Nigeria to be addressed urgently than this.

Haven’t you heard how Boko Haram members drown themselves in Tramadol when going on operation to deaden their conscience and give them false confidence? There are reports confirming that Tramadol is never found wanting in Boko Haram camps. This report, if anything, should enlighten government on the link between substance abuse and crimes. Tramadol is another drug that has been abused and continues to be abused by criminals and young Nigerians to get ‘high’, have unusually prolonged sex and have fleeting boldness.

There are others I can’t designate as drugs. It would interest you to know that some Nigerian youth get high by sniffing fermented human faeces because they contain ammonia. Some make do with fermented urine. There is the smoking of toad venom as well.

Experts say toads have venom glands that excrete toxins. These toxins are then extracted and dried into a paste. Others extract the toxins and inject straight into their system. According to John Hopkins University, users “will be physically incapacitated for about 30 minutes and time, vision, and sound may be distorted”. John Hopkins University went on to say users have claimed to feel connected to a ‘higher power’. What higher power, I ask? Certainly not God.

I feel government, regulatory agencies, parents, religious bodies and all stakeholders have a lot to do to halt these harvest of Nigerian youth by hell. The effects of these substances have sent many to untimely deaths.

Many are walking around with internal organs that are not fully functional due to the use of these substances. There is the downside of exponential increase in crimes. What development can truly be achieved in a society such as this where the largest sector of its population, the youth, cannot lay claim to five-hour sanity in a 24-hour cycle?

The most saddening part is that most parents are too busy chasing money to watch out for telltale signs of substance abuse in their children. Many of such parents would swear with their lives that their innocentlooking kids have never touched drugs when in fact such kids are the kings of substance abuse.

As much as parents need to do their part, there is a lot that government can do to check the causes of this addiction to wanting to get ‘high’.

Mr President, I am afraid if something is not done quickly, we may never have a sane society in Nigeria again as many of our youth are too focused on getting ‘high’ to think of going higher to great things in life.