Drug Reduction And Rehabilitation

Editorial

The screaming headlines on drug seizures and arrests by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, are important, but tell only one side of the story. An emphasis on drug eradication or reduction campaigns, treatments and rehabilitation of drug abusers would tell a more positive and rewarding story.

Both stories are important but starkly different. While drug traffickers are often motivated by money and are treated as hardened criminals, drug addicts should be seen as victims who need help from the society to be free from drug use.

Although different drugs have different physical effects, the symptoms of addiction are similar. Drug abuse often causes problems at work, home, school, and in relationships, leaving the abuser feeling isolated, helpless, or ashamed. Drug addicts often lose all sense of human dignity, take risks, get into legal trouble and watch helplessly as their lives fall apart while they neglect their responsibilities.

This can be avoided if Nigerian parents, friends and relatives pay more attention to physical and behavioural warning signs of drug abusers.

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With their bloodshot eyes, changes in appetite or sleep patterns, sudden weight loss or weight gain, deterioration of physical appearance, personal grooming habits, unusual smells on breath, body, or clothing, tremors, slurred speech, or impaired coordination and drop in attendance and performance at work or school as well as unexplained need for money or financial problems, drug abusers are easily identified.

We agree with the assertion by the United Nations Office On Drugs and Crime, UNODC, during a media training in Abeokuta recently that Nigeria must stop seeing itself only as a transit country by paying more attention to drug  abuse, treatment and rehabilitation.

We also believe that the eight government hospitals that deal with rehabilitation and treatments of drug addicts must receive a bigger financial support from the state and Federal Governments. NDLEA and other NGOs engaged in anti-drug campaigns must also be supported by the government.

We must not only focus on seizures, arrests and convictions, we must also help those who are trying to break free from drug abuse.

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