The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), recently revealed that one in seven Nigerians between the ages of 15 and 64 now use drugs. The NDLEA boss explained that the drug integrity test for youth corps members, prospective couples and others was not punitive but to discourage substance abuse. Marwa stated this during his meeting with the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig. Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, and some officials of the NYSC in Abuja. Marwa also said that treatment will be offered to those who test positive before their condition degenerates to dependence and other health challenges. We commend the NDLEA boss for the bold initiative to check drug abuse among young Nigerians. No doubt, Marwa deserves the support of the government and other stakeholders in reducing drug abuse in the country.

Drug abuse is a scourge to any society. It damages the lives of individuals, especially young people, dislocating their advancement in life. Millions of youths across the world have lost their lives due to drug abuse or performance-enhancing substances. Sadly, the menace seems to continually gain traction globally despite governments? efforts to curb it. In various societies, large sums of money are budgeted for the fight against drug abuse, yet many youths unfortunately embrace it without weighing the consequences. In Nigeria, the federal government and different state governments, through the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have intensified efforts to curb the use of hard drugs and other banned substances that imperil the lives of citizens, especially young people. Parents, teachers, schools and institutions have decried the increasing rate of drug abuse among their wards and students. Some punitive and preventive measures have done much to reduce drug abuse in the country.

Young people turn to hard drugs for different reasons, ranging from a lack of confidence, performance-enhancing purposes, peer pressure, and the illusory belief that such substances catapult them to a higher realm. Given the short-term effects of the hard drugs, they gradually become addicted and would always return to take them for a perceived feeling of satisfaction. Many students across the country have been expelled due to their involvement in drug abuse. Many young people with promising careers have been sacked for using hard drugs. In that way, an otherwise bright future is cut short, and the parents are always at the receiving end of such a sudden termination of careers. Besides the outlined consequences, there are health challenges associated with the abuse of hard drugs. Sadly, many hospitals and psychiatric homes are hosts to many drug users.

The development can explain why Marwa intends to use education, counselling, and rehabilitation to reduce the drug scourge. While intending couples should obtain drug-free certificates, we believe that early detection through drug tests can prevent severe consequences, including psychiatric disorders, which affect not only users but the society at large.

Therefore, the call for the mandatory drug test for students before their admission to higher institutions is a welcome development. In the same vein, corps members should undergo a compulsory drug test upon their arrival at orientation camps. We believe that the measure will go a long way to prevent drug abuse among the youths. The NDLEA should be supported in its crusade to rid the young ones from drug abuse. Let adequate measures be put in place to ensure that the drug tests are properly carried out. On no account should the drug tests be compromised by corrupt officials.

Beyond introducing drug tests for students and corps members, the NDLEA should intensify efforts to curb the distribution of the banned substances. It is shocking that despite efforts by NDLEA to reduce the use of hard drugs, many Nigerian youths still have access to them. The government should apprehend those dealing in the hard drugs. The drug barons must be made to face justice. That is possibly one of the best ways to reduce drug use among Nigerian youths. Above all, the media campaign against drug abuse must be sustained in all the states and the 774 local government areas. In all, let the NDLEA be adequately funded to enable it reduce drug use among young Nigerians. (The Sun Editorial)

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