President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured that he was going to work closely with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and its international partner to curb drug abuse in the country.
This statement was made on Monday, at the State House, Abuja in the opening address to celebrate this year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking.
According to Punch, Tinubu urged everyone to take a gentle approach to drug abusers as he noted that they were also humans and should be treated like one.
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The president who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, noted that the social stigma must also be discussed in order to curb the menace.
Drug Abuse is not a death sentence – Speaker of House of Representative
While speaking of the drug abusers, the president stated, “These groups often face barriers in accessing health care and social services within society to address their drug use problems.
“Therefore, interventions to address drug use and its associated consequences need to be mindful of the fundamental individual. Stigma, both social and structural, which is one of the most common barriers to access support and services, must be removed.”
Tinubu stressed that stakeholders should educate themselves about drug abuse and stop all sorts of stigmatization.
Speaking on the issue, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, who was represented by his deputy, Benjamin Kalu, noted that being addicted to drugs is not a death sentence hence everyone needs to caution themselves and stop stigmatizing.
The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Buba Marwa also added, “They are human beings with inherent dignity, deserving of understanding, empathy, and support. Our prejudices hinder their access to healthcare, employment, and social support systems.
“Hence, we must work to break down the barriers that prevent people from seeking help and foster an environment where they feel safe, respected, and encouraged to access the necessary treatments and interventions,”
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Latest drug addiction of youths and its impact
The monstrous pills and potion adventure has become a dangerous route taken by many Nigerian youths who are probably going though a lot.
Many that are unemployed, out of school, broke, or depressed would shun help and chose this sweet evil as their haven.
These drug abuses cut across all gender as studies show that females aged 15 to 45 take drugs in Nigeria.
Ikejabird takes a look at how the drug has impacted Nigerian youth.
