…FIDA urges stakeholders to address menace of illicit drug, trafficking***

Some mental health experts have advocated increased public awareness of the negative effects of drugs on society.

They made the call at a webinar organised by the International Community for Healthy Alternatives to Drugs (ICHAD) on Sunday in Lagos.

The second annual drug conference with the theme: “Substance Use and Abuse: A Thriving Normal,” was organised to commemorate the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, marked annually on June 26.

Mr David Folaranmi, an advocate of substance abuse and drug addiction awareness, urged everyone to join hands to fight illicit drug use and substance abuse among youths.

Folaranmi, a survivor of drug addiction, called for continuous education, sensitisation, enlightenment and advocacy in schools, religious houses, health institutions and communities.

He described addiction as a “chronic relapsing brain disease characterised by the desire to use a substance irrespective of the consequences.”

Folaranmi said that curiosity, poor education, genetic transference of addiction, peer pressure and parental negligence were some of the causes of drug use among young people.

He advised drug users to seek professional help and be committed to treatment options such as counselling and therapy.

Folaranmi also urged them to substitute medication and in-patient treatment in rehabilitation centres for detoxification and isolation.

“As someone who was addicted to crack cocaine for seven years, I can tell you that treatment works.

“Get help from professionals such as social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists and rehabilitation centres that will tailor treatment based on the type of drug or substance being abused,” he said.

Also speaking, Bhoomeeka Jain, a psychologist and mental health advocate, said that the overall impact of substance abuse on the brain cells was a gradual process which could ultimately lead to death.

“Substance and drug abuse, in the long run, can lead to anxiety, depression, paranoia, aggression, a shift in personalities and attitudes, irritation, unusual hyperactivity, psychotic issues and suicide,” Jain said.

Dr Kiki Omeili, a medical doctor turned actress, said that cannabis had become a cult status among creatives, artistes and writers, due to its perceived association with increased creativity.

Omeili said that excessive use of cannabis could disrupt the endocannabinoid system responsible for regulating and controlling critical bodily functions such as learning and memory, among others.

She said that when tetrahydrocannabinol (the principal psychoactive ingredient of cannabis) stimulates the receptors in the brain responsible for thinking, memory and pleasure, it creates unnatural euphoria and a feeling of heightened pleasure.

“This short-lived unnatural pleasure and disruption of the endocannabinoid system cause over- dependence which leads to addiction,” she said.

Speaking on the role of the media in the fight against drug and substance abuse, David Hundeyin, an investigative journalist, blamed the media for escalating drug use without regard for the adverse effects.

“Substance use and abuse has become glorified and glamorised in the entertainment industry and is seen as a harmless recreational activity.

“Some alcoholic drinks are being marketed today as sexual performance-enhancing drinks such that people are not aware of the actual component.

“In the next 15 to 30 years, there would be an explosion of liver and kidney problems as a result of the high consumption of these substances young people take today,” he said.

He urged the broadcast and print media to do more in reporting drug-related issues without prejudice.

In another development, the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) on Sunday, called on relevant stakeholders to recognise and address the menace of illegal drug availability, abuse and trafficking.

This is contained in a statement by the National President of FIDA Nigeria, Mrs Amina Agbaje, in Abuja to commemorate the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

The Day has as its theme: “Addressing drug challenges in health and humanitarian crises”

“Must more need to be done regarding the prevention, rehabilitation and reintegration of drug abusers into society.

“Let us work collectively to keep our children, the youth and communities safe from exposure to drug use, drug trade/trafficking activities.

“As we strive to prevent further humanitarian crises within our country, particularly as we mark another International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking,” she said.

Agbaje said drug misuse was a traumatic experience for both the addict and his or her family and friends, who may feel helpless in the face of the sickness.

She said addiction to any substance, whether legal or illegal, could lead to serious health conditions, adding that certain medications could alter the structure and functioning of the brain.

“It impacts an individual’s self-control and interferes with the capacity to resist the impulse to consume the substance after repeated use.

“We find that under the influence of drugs, most members of the society exhibit irrational behaviour, cause conflicts, and overreact on issues, as they lack the capacity and the control to do things right.

“Consequently, in a society where all age groups are susceptible to drug abuse, the above poses a serious dilemma,” Agbaje said.

She, however, said all relevant stakeholders should intervene to make the world safe, and peaceful with continuous progressive development.

“We must all work together as collaborators, share genuine information about the drug issue, from health dangers to solutions to the global drug epidemic, as well as evidence-based prevention, treatment, and care services in times of crisis,” Agbaje said.

She said to commemorate the Day, FIDA Nigeria raised a huge ‘Red Flag’ and calls for prompt action by all key actors and stakeholders.

Agbaje said the UN classified the menace of Drug abuse and illicit trafficking as a ‘disturbing obstruction to the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goals 3 on health and Goal 16 on peaceful societies.

“As such drug abuse and illicit trafficking are no longer seen as minuscule factors affecting development in society, but a huge menace to the attainment of a peaceful and developed society with a healthy populace.

” The key purpose of the commemoration of the day is to raise awareness of the major dilemma that illicit drugs represent to society, and to increase action and collaboration in the pursuit of a world free of drug abuse,” she said.

Agbaje said due to the insecurities across the nation fueled by multiple social, economic, and political challenges of all dimensions, porous borders and the inability to control armed men attacking communities had aggravated the situation.

She said the attacks and the resultant insecurities have displaced millions of people, devastated agricultural production and other livelihoods, cut off essential services, and caused a crisis of protection.

“The frustrations are indeed immense, cutting across all genders and communities in the country with no early end to the conflict foreseeable.

“‘Reliance on available drugs to escape one’s frustrations seems, therefore, an easy route to take,” Agbaje said.

She said In Nigeria, over 2.1 million people or 300,000 households, are now internally displaced in northern Nigeria, according to IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM).

Agbaje said the resultant effect was a humanitarian crisis situation which must be addressed urgently.

“Populations affected by humanitarian emergencies are particularly vulnerable to substance (alcohol and other drugs) use and its disorders, yet treatment and prevention services are very scarce.

“The different types of substances usually abused are readily available and easily purchasable.

“This is wrong and aggressive intervention is necessary with the collaborative effort of all key players, “she said.