Tackling tramadol addiction

Tramadol consumption is a prevailing menace among adolescents and adults who abuse drugs.

Recently, a man in his mid-20’s reportedly died in Otukpo, Benue State, after consuming an overdose of tramadol.

The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), identifies tramadol as a specific type of narcotic medicine called opioid that is approved to treat moderate and moderately severe pain in adults. However, Some people misuse and abuse it including students.

The consumers of painkillers like tramadol have distinctive names for the drug, like TM, Lara 120, Tablet or 225. A peddler told this reporter under anonymity that due to the high demand for the drug, the price has increased tremendously. “I always sell a packet

day containing 10 a sachets with 10 pills each. The entire packet contains 100 pills,” he said.

Musa (not real name), said he spent two days locked up by security personnel because of tramadol addiction. “My parents did not know that I take drugs. But my friends are aware and they always cautioned me but I refused to listen to them until I was caught,” he said.

He added that he only took the pills because he felt they gave him confidence to talk.

Adeiza Munir, 25, said he got addicted to tramadol through his friend who advised him to take it as a sex enhancer. He said while the drug did not work for him that way, it helped him become less depressed and calm.

“Since I started, I have experienced a lot of challenges because I frequently have seizures at home and even in the classroom. My mouth is always dry which makes me uncomfortable… but I am working to stop taking the drug,” he said.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in a 2017 report said a minimum of 190,000 persons died prematurely due to the use of opioids.

A Professor of Haematology at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Aisha Indo Mamman, said “We have to openly discuss the effect of drug abuse. We must reorient our health personnel to identify drug addicts and develop supportive intervention to rid us of the menace.

“Drug addicts have a duty to get out of it bearing in mind their families love for them. The government should also establish drug clubs in secondary schools to raise awareness among younger adolescents,” she added.

Ismaila is a student of Mass Communication, Bayero University Kano