DRUG ABUSE EXISTENTIAL DANGER FOR COMMUNITY, PROFESSOR OPARAOJI, NDLEA BOSS INAM, LAMENT .
Amuzi, Ahiazu-Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria: january 4, 2021: At the recently concluded Patriotic Citizens of Amuzi (PCA) convention, Nse Jack Inam, the Commandant, Imo State National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), delivered a talk on the *“Dangers of Drug Abuse”*, to the youth leaders of Amuzi, in line with the theme of the convention, “Drug Abuse, Dreams Destroyed”. He urged the youths to eschew drug abuse, which he described as dream killer for the individual, their families and community. It was a very interactive session, with the youths fully engaged, as evidenced by their great questions.
In his speech, the PCA convener Professor Eddie Oparaoji said, “It is a common knowledge that illicit drugs use is now disturbingly prevalent in our community especially among our youths. This unhealthy and retrogressive habit while not unique to Amuzi carries devastating consequences for the individual, their families and our Amuzi community”.
He shared, that “A recent survey led by Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Center for Research and Information on Substance Abuse with technical support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and funding from the European Union, revealed a considerable level of use of psychoactive drug substances in nearly 15% of adult population in Nigeria. This translates to around 14.3 million people. This is a rate much higher than a 2016 reported global average of 5.6%.”
Prof. Oparaoji, continued, that the survey “showed the highest levels of drug use was recorded among people aged between 25 to 39, with cannabis, followed by opium as the most widely abused drugs. The survey excluded the use of tobacoo and alcohol.”
He also revealed that it has been reported, that “drug use habits in Nigeria have devolved with young people increasingly resorting to potent mixtures of several drugs at the high risk of fatal overdoses. For instance, “gutter water,” a widely consumed cocktail of drugs, is a mix of codeine, tramadol, rohypnol, cannabis and water or juice. Some young adults are also turning to crude concoctions as alternatives, including smoking lizrd parts and dung as well as sniffing glue, petrol, sewage and urine as inhalants” (Quartz Africa, 2019).
Regarding the socio-economic consequences of drug abuse, he said, “While we may not have the mortality and morbidity statistics on drug abuse in Amuzi, report has it that about a quarter of all deaths in the United States–are caused by addictive substances: 105,000 from alcohol abuse, 446,000 from tobacco use, and 39,000 from addictive drugs in 1995. The magnitude of addiction’s impact on morbidity is also great, causing approximately 40 million illnesses and injuries each year. The economic burden of addiction is estimated at greater than $400 billion every year, including health care costs, lost worker productivity, and crime. Less quantifiable, but equally important, are the social costs to families and communities of addiction. Children of substance-abusing parents are more likely as adults to become plagued by addiction and its related problems”.
Others who spoke on the theme of the convention were, Her Excellency Professor Viola Onwuliri, Emeritus Supervising Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Minister of State for Education (mother of the day), Mrs Catherine Otuibe, President Amuzi Progressive Union (APU) Women’s Wing and Chair PCA Health Committee and Dr Mrs Ndidi Oparaoji, US based Author and Educationist.
Also in attendance were, Hon. Sam Nkem Otuibe, Member Representing Ahiazu-Mbaise in the Imo House of Assembly (Special Guest of Honor), Comrade Nzeribe Nwachukwu, Chief of Staff IMC, Ahiazu-Mbaise LGA (Chairman of occasion), Hon Uche Chris Agomuo, Councilor, Representing Amuzi/Ogwuama Autonomous Community at the Ahiazu-Mbaise LGA , Barr Chinwe Anyanwu, Dr Pius Nwagwu and Chief BC Nwachukwu (Chairman PCA Central Working Committee).
Patriotic Citizens of Amuzi 