A repentant drug addict, Malam Isa Sani Gachi, has said it is not easy for a drug addict to abandon the habit overnight.
Speaking at a one-day sensitization workshop organised by Daily Trust Newspaper in Kano on Thursday, Gachi said it requires some times for a drug addict to abandon the habit.
“Parents and indeed members of the society need to do a lot of counselling with drug addict before he/she can abandon the habit.
“It is something difficult for a drug addict to abandon the culture. I am in my 11th years of abandoning the culture, but I still feel like taking it. You see the effect? Something that I have abandoned for 11 years, but I still feel like taking it.
“There are some addicts who if forced to abandon drug abuse overnight will die and there are some who will become mentally affected.
“Therefore, I am advising the government and indeed members of the public to be cautious while dealing with drug addicts in their efforts to rehabilitate them. I have tasted it so I am speaking from experience,” he said.
He lamented that the menace of drug abuse had penetrated into various organisations including the military, police, NDLEA, secondary schools and tertiary institutions.
He pointed out that it was a menace that requires many hands on deck to be curtailed.
“My advice to Nigerians irrespective of their religion or status in life is that we should fear God in our daily affairs and we should adhere to the teachings of our religion.
“We should strive hard and ensure that we do things rightly. Unless we change our attitude and behaviours towards our daily affairs, we will not achieve anything in our efforts to tackle the menace of drug abuse,” he said.
He urged youth particularly drug addicts to summon courage and abandon it. He also advised non-addicts to desist from engaging themselves in drug abuse.
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