Not less than 172 youths have developed psychiatric problems following drug abuse in the last six years in Zamfara State, a National Drug Law enforcement Agency (NDLEA) official in the state, Mr Ladan Hashim, has disclosed.
Mr Ladan, a Deputy Commander of Narcotics and Assistant State Commander, spoke during a programme tagged: “War against Drug Abuse with Students as Positive Agents of Change”, at the Zamfara State College of Health Science and Technology.
He said from January to September, 2021, 221 arrests were made: 211 males and 10 females, adding that 152 had been counselled.
He further said in the year 2020, 14 psychiatric patients were recorded, which meant a reduction compared to previous years, adding that victims of drug abuse were to be seen as sick persons and not criminals or rejected persons in communities.
Therefore, Mr Ladan advised that, “A victim of drug abuse needs our collective empathy, understanding and support to facilitate timely intervention and recovery through treatment, care and social integration. All victims should get help at the right time and place.
“Many of our youths are now in jail, some in treatment centres and a good number have developed one ailment or the other such as cancer of the throat, liver or kidney damage.
“So the best or safest way is for everyone to use drugs based on medical prescription by professionals.”
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