ARISE Information analyst Dayo Sobowale has stated that whereas drug abuse stays a critical threat to Nigerian youth, the state of affairs shouldn’t be overstated as a nationwide emergency.
Talking throughout an interview on ARISE Information on Wednesday, Sobowale acknowledged the issues raised by the Nationwide Drug Regulation Enforcement Company (NDLEA) however maintained that the difficulty, although harmful, shouldn’t be new.
“It’s a harmful factor… it destroys the bodily and psychological and psychological stature of victims, particularly younger ones.”
He famous that authorities have constantly raised consciousness about drug abuse over time, stressing that present alarms ought to be seen as a part of ongoing efforts quite than a sudden disaster.
“It has all the time been finished… they all the time elevate the purple alert.”
Sobowale warned towards overusing phrases like “state of emergency,” arguing that such language can dilute the seriousness of actual crises.
“There’s no trigger for alarm… we must always relax and face the issues one after the other.”
As a substitute, he emphasised a extra structured method centered on enforcement, compliance, and the usage of fashionable expertise to fight drug trafficking and abuse.
“Use the most recent expertise and be sure that we implement compliance.”
On the position of pharmaceutical firms, Sobowale described them as highly effective actors inside the system, noting that weak regulation and restricted oversight capability can permit managed substances to be misused.
“Prescribed drugs are the large boys… when you don’t have the equipment to watch them, you’ll be blindfolded.”
He known as for stronger funding in analysis and laboratory infrastructure to assist regulators just like the Nationwide Company for Meals and Drug Administration and Management (NAFDAC) correctly vet substances getting into the market.
“A matter of experience… coaching, analysis, and making funds out there.”
Addressing root causes akin to peer strain, poverty, and publicity by way of digital platforms, Sobowale argued that technological development has outpaced Nigeria’s regulatory framework.
“Technological growth has outpaced our legal guidelines.”
He burdened the necessity for up to date laws and cultural reorientation, notably amongst younger folks, to stop misuse of each expertise and substances.
“We should make legal guidelines that match the face of expertise.”
Whereas acknowledging gaps in rehabilitation infrastructure, Sobowale maintained that Nigeria has not but reached disaster ranges seen in some Western international locations, urging a measured and context-specific response.
“I don’t assume now we have reached that stage.”
He concluded by calling for stronger collaboration with colleges, households, and spiritual establishments to bolster ethical steerage and preventive training.
“We must always enlist the assistance of faculties and spiritual our bodies… to hammer dwelling the hazards.”
By Ojo Triumph
Times Nigeria