Three million suffer drug abuse in Nigeria, says report

ARECENT report worldwide on drug abuse has indicated that about three million Nigerians suffer from drug abuse out of over 36 million people worldwide.

The report released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime also stated that Nigeria has 14.3 million drug users.

This was disclosed yesterday during a one day sensitisation workshop on drug abuse and immorality, religious and social approaches to curbing the menace organised by Youth and Civil Society for Development.

Presenting a paper on Danger’s of Drug Abuse, Consequences, and Prevention, the National Chairman and Chief Executive of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA), Gen. Muhammad Buba Marwa, ( Retd), represented by the agency’s director in Jigawa, Mrs Maryam Sani stated drug markets on the dark web only emerged a decade ago, but major ones are now worth US $ 315 million in annual sales.

Although this is just a fraction of overall drug sales, she said the trend is upwards with a four- fold increase between 2011 to mid 2017 and mid 2017 to 2020.

According to her, rapid technological innovation, combined with the agility and adaptability of those using new platforms to sell drugs and other substances is likely to usher in a globalized market where all drugs are more available and accessible everywhere. This in turn could trigger accelerated changes in patterns of drug use and entail public health implications, according to the report.

On drug abuse addictions, she said a nationwide survey of high schools students in the country has revealed that 65 per cent used drugs to have a good time with their friend’s, 54 per cent wanted to experiment to see what it is like, and 20- 40 per cent used it to alter their moods, just to feel good, relax, or to relieve tension.