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Bad habits of tomorrow’s leaders

There is a no doubt that the leaders of tomorrow have taken the abuse of drugs to a higher level. I love to hate drugs…

There is a no doubt that the leaders of tomorrow have taken the abuse of drugs to a higher level.

I love to hate drugs when I come across a Newspaper Headline in the front page that read; Drugs; Indonesia executes Nigeria, 5 others.

There execution were carried despite international criticisms. 

According to investigations young people between the age of 12 and 30 are the majority victims of drugs addiction, the most widely use, Indian hemp, Tramadol, Cough Cyrup, Heroin, Cocaine and other psychotropic substances.

In particular, NDLEA was established by Decree 48 in January, 1990 by General Ibrahim Babangida’s regime. It was primarily charged with the responsibility to control the drug markets in Nigeria and in sub-sahara Africa.

Findings shows that drug related crime began to emerge in Nigeria from 1980. The decree establishing NDLEA specifically states that the agency should eliminate growing, processing, manufacturing, selling, exporting and trafficking of hard drugs.

 According to former NDLEA Chairman Ahmadu Giade; Drugs do not make heroes but drug addicts. Drug trafficking does not make people successful rather it make them prisoners.

The National Drug Control Master Plan, developed to guide anti-narcotics clampdown from 2015 till 2019 observed that Cannabis production in Nigeria has been high for the past 30 years with large commercial seized plantations clustered in the South -Western States and is largely responsible for fuelling organized crime.  

It said organized crime in Nigeria is regarded as the “most active, connected dispersed and entrepreneurial of any organized crime networks in the world”.

Generally, hard drugs have multiple negative effects ranging from social, behavioural, moral and untold impacts.

Narcotics such as Indian hemps, Cocaine, Nicotine and some other intoxicating stimulants are dangerous, not only to one’s health but also, to a larger extent to the economic and political system of any society.

The effects of hard drugs on the youths, for example, is noticeable to all, and which manifest in social vices, criminally minded people are usually propelled into social vices and others forms of immorality under influence of hard drugs. Using drugs is centrally control or central nervous system based which means it hits the brain immediately and it changes the user to somebody else. Our women are also included especially from northern part of Nigeria where codeine abuse spreads like wild fire. Sociologically speaking, social problems; depression as well as the peer pressure are all part of reasons.

According to gynaecologist female smokers lose an average of 13.2 to 14.5 years of life, respectively because every time they smoke, it tends to shorten their life by an average of 11 minutes. Women who smoke, are at greater risk of many other problems that men do suffer, simply because of a woman’s unique biological and physiological make-up. Women and girls who smoke are at increased risk of causing serious damage to their unborn babies while children born to mothers who smoke suffers things like colds, earaches and respiratory problems. And quite interestingly, a high number of our politicians, leaders and other highly placed personalities who smoke are not an exception. 

A healthy future depend on a healthy living, if we will have better society and sound future, measures must be put in place to discourage the young people from indulging in drug abuse. Parents should give attention to their children and watch their movement and behaviour very closely with a view to correcting them instantly.

There should be regular seminars and counselling services organized by schools on topical issues bordering teenage problems, the ban of codeine production by the federal government is a welcome development.

All hand must be on desk to ensure that the fight against drugs barons and marketing is all-inclusive. The new government under President Buhari, the relevant agencies such as NDLEA need to do more sensitization and apply the rule of law accordingly.

Maiwako Sanusi, University of Abuja

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